Despite an increase in the investigation of Hong Kong's drug problem, little has been published concerning the causes of continuous drug use or the recovery process experienced by chronic drug abusers. A Brighter Side documents a pioneer longitudinal study of chronic drug abuse in Hong Kong, using an analytical framework to explore the protective and risk factors affecting relapse or abstinence from drugs. The findings have significant implications for theories of drug use and rehabilitation, especially in regards to the role of social capital, self-efficacy, short-term abstinence, and harm reduction in the road to recovery. The findings also have practical implications for services aimed at chronic drug abusers in Hong Kong and other Asian societies.