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WEDNESDAY, JULY
REVIEW OF DRUG TREATMENT BY SARDA
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RECEIVED IN REGISTRY No. 51
107JUL 1974
NICK 19/2
THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS IS ENGAGED ON A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF DRUG TREATMENT PRÓGRAILIES AND FACILITIES AND A TREATMENT BLUEPRINT, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, THE HON. LEWIS DAVIES, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUGIL TODAY.
IN HIS SPEECH WINDING UP THE DEBATE THAT THE COUNCIL VELCOMES THE WHITE PAPER ON THE PROBLEM OF DANGEROUS DRUGS IN HONG KONG,+ HE SAID THE RESULT OF THIS REVIEW WOULD, IN QUE COURSE, DE PLACED BEFORE THE COVERNMENT TOGETHER WITH AN INDICATION OF THE ESTIMATED COST.
MR. DAVIES ALSO DISCLOSED THAT DRAFTING HISTRUCTIONS WERE NOW BEING PREPARED FOR NEW LEGISLATION TO CONTROL FACTORY MADE-DRUGS ABUSED HERE. ON THE RETURN OF TS COMMISSIONER FOR NARCOTICS IN AUGUST AND IN CONSULTATION WITH THE LAU DRAFTSMAN WORK ON THE ACTUAL DRAFT WILL BE PUT IN HAND.
+PROVIDED THINGS GO REASONABLY SMOOTHLY THE NEW DILL OUGHT TO BE READY EARLY NEXT YEAR. I CANNOT BS (ORE SPECIFIC AT THIS STAGE SINCE IT IS NOT EASY TO ASSESS HOW COMPLICATED THE BILL MAY HAVE TO BE OR HOW EASILY AGREEMENT CAN DE SECURED BETWEEN THE VARIOUS GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED,&
COMMENTING ON LAW ENFORCEMENT IN RESPECT OF THE DRUG PROBLEM, HE SAID THE NARCOTICS EUREAU HAD DECENTLY CONSENTRATED
ITS EFFORTS ON SYNDICATE PENSTRATION OPERATIONS AT A LEVEL LIKELY TO INFLICT THE HOST DAMAGE TO DRUG SYNDICATES.
SUCH EFFORTS HAD RESULTED IN FOUR HEROIN REPIKERIES RAIDED, ABOUT $15 MILLION WORTH OF DRUGS SEIZED AND 18 HIGH LEVEL SYNDICATE PERSONALITIES CHARGED WITH VARIOUS DRUG OFFENCES.
`REFERRING TO A POINT MADE BY THE HON. WILSON BANG THAT COMPULSORY REGISTRATION SHOULD BE INTRODUCED, THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY SAID THE VIEW CURRENTLY PREVAILING WAS THAT SUCH AN ARRANGEMENT WAS PREMATURE.
IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THIS MIGHT DE PRACTICAL ONLY IF AND WHEN COMPREHENSIVE FACILITIES FOR COMPULSORY TREATMENT WERE AVAILABLE. +WE ARE NOT YET IN THIS POSITION BUT I CAN ASSURE THE HONOURABLE MEMBER THAT HIS SUGGESTION WILL NOT DE FORGOTTEN EVEN THOUGH EARLY IMPLEMENTATION SEEMS UNLIKELY+
ON THE ROLE OF EX-ADDICTS, HE SAID THEIR IMPORTANCE WAS RECOGNISED AND, SO FAR, SARDA HAD 22 EX-ADDICTS ON ITS STAFF AND +THOSE ENGAGED IN TREATMENT ARE VERY, VERY ALIVE TO THE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE OF EX-ADDICTS HELPING THOSE WHO ARE
STILL ADDICTED.
MR. DAVIES ALSO