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HEALTH
Parents play an important role in preventing young people from experimenting with drugs or being involved in durg-related activities. Through the Mutual Aid Committees, seminars and talks were organised to educate parents about the dangers of drug abuse. In March, an Anti-Narcotics Family Camp was held at the YMCA Wu Kai Sha Youth Village which attracted some 350 parents and children residing in Chai Wan district. Parents learned about the disastrous effects of drug abuse and were urged to take care of their children.
For the seventh year, the Youth Against Drugs Scheme provided encouragement and financial support to young people who wished to participate directly in the planning and implementation of anti-narcotics projects. The scheme helped nine groups of young people to implement nine anti-narcotics promotional activities. The 43-strong member ACAN Youth Volunteer Group, established in 1981 with a view to training and encouraging young volunteers to play an active part in anti-narcotics work, participated in the district campaigns and organised various community involvement activities.
Anti-narcotics talks were given to a total of 72 boy scouts who had chosen the Fight Against Drug Abuse Programme for the Community Involvement Badge of the Scout Association of Hong Kong. After completing a practical task and taking part in one of the drug abuse prevention activities, 46 boy scouts were awarded the badge.
To support these activities and to publicise the anti-narcotics message, television and radio announcements of public interest, films, posters, leaflets as well as an anti-narcotics theme song were produced. The appeal through TV for drug addicts to seek voluntary treatment was particularly successful.
During the year, the ACAN Drug Abuse Telephone Enquiry Service received 1 714 enquiries from both addicts and non-addicts. Most enquiries were related to drug addiction treatment facilities.
International Action
Externally, Hong Kong continued to play an active and important part in international anti-narcotics operations by maintaining close links with the United Nations, inter- governmental agencies - such as the Colombo Plan Bureau, Interpol and the Customs Co-operation Council -- and with governments of countries in Southeast Asia, Europe and North America. Hong Kong took part in 23 regional and international meetings and seminars concerned with anti-drug policies, law enforcement, treatment and rehabilitation, and preventive education. In 1987, Hong Kong increased to $110,000 its annual contribu- tion to the United Nations Fund for Drug Abuse Control, whose activities include an opium poppy crop-substitution programme in the 'Golden Triangle' on the borders of Burma, Laos and Thailand, the source of most of Hong Kong's opiate drugs.
The techniques and methods employed by Hong Kong in its anti-narcotics work have made it an important venue for training anti-narcotics personnel from overseas. During the year, 152 visitors from 21 countries came to Hong Kong on study visits and training courses, either through bilateral arrangements with their governments or under the sponsorship of a United Nations body. Hong Kong Narcotics Bureau and Customs Officers travelled overseas as lecturers or consultants on training courses related to anti-narcotics work.
Hong Kong was represented at the International Conference on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking held at the United Nations Centre in Vienna in June, the biggest anti-drug conference ever held at ministerial level. The Hong Kong exhibition attracted considerable interest from a very wide range of delegates.