HEALTH
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labelling requirements. Herbal medicines were checked for the presence of synthetic drugs and toxic metals.
A wide range of foods commonly consumed by the public is examined for harmful adul- terants, metallic contaminants, mycotoxins, pesticide and drug residues and non-permitted additives for compliance with the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance.
Other aspects of the laboratory's work included the classification of dangerous goods, quality checks on government purchases and certain export commodities, analyses of pesticide formulations and residues and identification of a variety of spurious consumer goods. Dutiable items were examined for revenue purposes. Biannual tables showing cigarette brands ranked according to tar and nicotine yields continued to be published to support the government's anti-smoking efforts. A gold assay laboratory has been estab- lished to support the enforcement of the Trade Description (Marking) (Gold and Gold Alloy) Order.
The laboratory also provided a urinary testing service for the methadone maintenance programme in the treatment of drug abusers.
Narcotics
Drug abuse is a long-standing problem in Hong Kong with serious social, economic, legal, medical and psychological implications. The government's policy is to stop the illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs into and through Hong Kong, to develop a comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation programme for drug addicts and to dissuade people, parti- cularly young people, from experimenting with drugs so as to eradicate drug abuse in the community.
The exact number of addicts in Hong Kong is not known. However, findings from the government's computerised Central Registry of Drug Abuse and other linked indi- cators show that at the end of 1987 the size of the known and active addict population was about 38 000.
Data collected by the registry, based on 350 000 reports on 58 000 individuals, indicate that 91 per cent are male and nine per cent female. As for age distribution, 51 per cent were over 30 as at the end of 1987, 34 per cent were in the 21 to 30 bracket and 15 per cent were under 21. The principal drug of abuse in Hong Kong is heroin, which was used by 96 per cent of the addicts reported to the registry in 1987. However, there are now indications that more and more young people have been abusing psychotropic substances, particularly Mandrax and cannabis in the last two years or so, although the abuse of these drugs is at present not as serious a social problem as heroin addiction.
In response to this change, the government has adopted a number of measures to increase public awareness of the dangers of psychotropic substances and the legal consequences of possessing and trafficking in these drugs. A large-scale survey was conducted in November to assess the extent of abuse of psychotropic substances among secondary school students in Hong Kong. The results of the survey will now be studied by the Action Committee Against Narcotics.
In early 1988, a pilot counselling centre with medical backup facilities will be set up in Tsim Sha Tsui to provide counselling services for psychotropic substance abusers. If this proves successful, more such centres will be established.
Overall Strategy and Co-ordination
The government's overall strategy to combat drug abuse consists of four main elements: law enforcement, treatment and rehabilitation, preventive education and publicity and