DRUG addiction in Shanghai has maintained a rapid growth rate, with the number of young drug-takers growing the fastest.

　　The city has reported about 2,800 drug addicts while experts say the correct figure is six to 10 times higger.

　　"Young people between 18 and 25 make up 36.4 per cent and those under 18 accounted for 2.8 per cent," said Huang Shunmei, from Shanghai Mandatory Drug Rehabilitation Institute.

　　Due to limited government resources and high medical costs, outside help is now entering the drug rehabilitation arena.

　　Last Tuesday, the first four patients, all from Taiwan, entered the Shanghai Huashi Drug Recovery Hospital, the city's only privately-run drug rehabilitation hospital for medical and psychological treatment.

　　Jointly invested by Shanghai Yishida Investment Ltd and Shanghai Huashan Health Development Co, the hospital is able to accept about 80 patients and charges about 6,000 yuan (US) for the first detoxification period of about two weeks.