CONFIDENTIAL ## 機密
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4
1
While it was agreed that legislation should be enacted to protect the
confidentiality of individual addict information, opinion was divided within the A.C.A.N. on the question whether complete and absolute
confidentiality should be maintained, i.e. no disclosure should be made except in the case of medical emergency. The majority of the A.C.A.N.
members were of the view that complete confidentiality was essential
for the success of voluntary treatment programmes, but the Commissioner
of Police pointed out that the commendable objective of confidentiality
should be reconciled with the need for access by Police to information
during the investigation of serious crime. After lengthy discussion,
it was agreed that it was in the public interest for disclosure to be
permitted in serious and compelling circumstances. But as the ACAN had
doubts on whether the courts should be drawn into the determination of
whether such disclosure would be contrary to the public interest, it was
unanimously agreed that a decision to order disclosure of confidential
information where a serious crime had been committed should be made by
the Attorney-General, after consulting the Commissioner for Narcotics
or the director of the reporting agency concerned. The Attorney-General
would, of course,
also take into account the views of the Police and any
evidence provided by them, in considering Police requests for disclosure.
The Bill
9.
The confidential information which is to be protected under the Bill covers all information in the records of the Central Registry or its
reporting agencies which relates to -
(a) the use by any person of dangerous drugs;
(b)
(c)
the care, treatment or rehabilitation of any
such person;
convictions for offences involving dangerous drugs.
G.S. 166
CONFIDENTIAL #
/10.