Maybe this has to do with the negative side of drug culture of the USA. In Hong Kong and Taipei there is hardly any drug use, and therefore crime is reduced a lot as well.
It takes 7 generations for that kind of stuff to clear out I've heard.
And if its slavery, then why are European cities the same way?
You have overlooked the third and fourth option: intergenerational poverty and drug laws.
The actual number is probably higher, but doesn't compare to the USA with 24 million drug abusers out of a population of 331 million or 7.25%. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/nationwide-...
Where are you getting your information from that it is a problem in Hong Kong?