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HEALTH
The Society for the Aid and Rehabilitation of Drug Addicts (SARDA), which is subvented by the government, operates the largest voluntary in-patient treatment programme in Hong Kong. It has two in-patient treatment and rehabilitation centres, one for men on the outlying island of Shek Kwu Chau and the other for women in Wan Chai. Linked with these two centres are six regional after-care centres, three units for the intake of patients and three hostels. The two centres, which operate an 'open door' policy by allowing patients to leave any time they wish, provide treatment ranging from a week-long course purely for physical withdrawal from drugs to a full course of 20 weeks which includes work therapy and rehabilitation. During 1978 2,767 patients, including 88 females, were admitted to SARDA's two centres. electro-stimulation During 1978, the one-year pilot project on acupuncture which started in July, 1977, was extended for six months. The extension was to allow sufficient time for the final report of the pilot scheme to be studied and a decision to be made in respect of long-term arrangements. By the end of 1978, a total of 1,025 patients were admitted for treatment.
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Under these programmes and the Prisons Department's compulsory treatment programme being carried out in four treatment centres, there are about 14,000 people receiving some form of treatment, rehabilitation and after-care every day, compared with about 6,000 five years ago. The expansion of treatment facilities has contributed to a major decrease in the number of those convicted of minor drug offences, from 16,200 in 1974 to 6,700 in 1977.
Also playing an important role in Hong Kong's fight against drug abuse is pre- ventive education and publicity. Work in this area is focused on fostering public awareness of the dangers of drug abuse, promoting community involvement to deal with the problem and preventing young people from experimenting with drugs. In 1978, the government launched its largest-ever preventive education and publicity campaign. Events organised within the period included three intensive month-long district anti-drug campaigns in Tai Po, Aberdeen and Wong Tai Sin, a study camp for youth leaders, a drug education display competition for secondary students as well as the production and use of various publicity materials such as television clips. and dramas, leaflets and posters. In addition, exhibitions and mobile street theatres were employed.
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The Drug Abuse Telephone Enquiry Service, which started in September, 1977, continued to operate in 1978. By the end of the year, 154 months after it began, a total of 7,841 enquiries had been received.
Externally Hong Kong continued to give unstinted support to international action against drug abuse and trafficking. For many years Hong Kong has maintained close links with the United Nations, with inter-governmental agencies such as the Colombo Plan Bureau and Interpol, and with individual governments in Southeast Asia, Europe and North America. During 1978, Hong Kong took part in 11 international meetings which were concerned with anti-drug law enforcement, treatment and rehabilitation, and preventive education. In the same year, Hong Kong made its fourth annual contribution of $100,000 to the United Nations Fund for Drug Abuse Control (UNFDAC) in support of its world-wide control efforts, which include the opium poppy crop substitution programmes being conducted in the 'Golden Triangle' region, where the boundaries of Burma, Laos and Thailand meet. It is