S.c. mp
19/10/73
AKK 1913
SIR ALBERT
DR STUMPF
MR CHIEN
HK drug crusaders support Governor's narcotics offensive
Hongkong's crusaders against drugs yesterday pledged their wholehearted support for the Governor's planned four- point offensive against the Scourge of narcotics.
And the Commissioner for Narcotics, Mr Norman Rolph, who with his staff will form the "executive arm" of the Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN) pledged that the re- constituted committee will fulfil its terms of reference.
ACAN's Chairman, Sir Albert Rodrigues, said;
"It will be a large committee, operating on a more practical and forceful basis.
"We have been given greater responsibility and everyone will have to work very hard."
The Chairman of the Education and Publicity of ACAN DẸ K.L. Stumpf, said that he acclaimed Sir Murray's plans.
"It is significant that the Government is sending a high- ranking officer to Bangkok to influence the Thai government, and has finally taken steps to control the entry of drugs to Hongkong." he said.
The production of opium in the Golden Triangle, Dr Stumpf said, had to be curbed and this could be done with the help of
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the United Nations..
"It is an international job to curb the situation, and it is gratifying now that the Government thinks we can do more instead of saying the same old words like 'we have a free port and there are so many ships coming in every day.'
On the new domestic initiatives, Dr Stumpf wel- comed the move to re- constitute ACAN, saying that "the time has come for us to be a more aggressive committee."
"And we must use Our imagination to find the way to cure drug addicts in a short time - preferably in less than six months.
"We must experiment with a variety of treatment methods and should not limit ourselves to two institutions.
"It has happened that an addict who could not find admission to SARDA and Tai Lam Chung has turned to me for help.
"Our clinics and hospitals, can be used for out-patients' because an addict who wants to get rid of the drug simply cannot wait.
"By and large, I am happy with Sir Murray's plans which are flexible, comprehensive, as well as powerful,” he said.
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SARDA's Superintendent of Social Service, Mr James Chi'en, held the opinion that substitute economy has to be organised by international efforts" in order to root out the supply in the Golden Triangle.
"I was there with a UN planning party last year and discovered that growing opium had been the main occupation of the hill tribes's economy for over 100 years.
"To stop the production is a simple matter but we will have to find a substitute economy for them."
He added that posting a Hongkong officer to Thailand would greatly help the exchange of intelligence and score successful preventive control.
He said it was "a good thing" that the Medical and Health Services would begin clinical research on drug abuse.
"We are handicapped to do the job though we have been conducting social research.
"It is vital that we tackle the supply and the demand simultaneously, and on the domestic level it should be co ordinated by ACAN,”
Mr Chien said that he personally believed in "multi- modelity" treatment. "The more variety of treatment facilities, the better.
"This is because some addicts respond to one mode of treatment while others respond to another.
"And of course our after- care and social rehabilitation facilities have to be largely expanded to involve former addicts into the social mainstrean)," he said.