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HEALTH
In support of the first United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (June 26), ACAN staged a 'Hong Kong International Anti-Drug Day' commemorative ceremony and exhibition in Sha Tin.
The major event of the year was the 'Anti-Drug Week' held between October 16 and 22. Comprising a mix of activities, including a two-day large-scale Anti-Narcotics Family Camp at Lei Yue Mun Park Holiday Village, exhibitions, seminars, drama competition, television features, variety show, and radio drama series, the event highlighted the dangers of drug abuse and the significance of participation by the youth and parents in the battle against drugs. Through these activities, especially those broadcast by television and radio, the anti-narcotics message reached an audience of 3 000 000 throughout the territory.
During the year, the School Talks Team in the Narcotics Division gave a total of 180 drug education talks to 80 000 students in 113 secondary schools throughout the territory. The Narcotics Division also organised a territory-wide seminar involving school adminis- trators and social workers in October to solicit their views on anti-drug education work with special reference to the findings of the survey on abuse of psychotropic substances among school students.
For the eighth 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 eight groups of young people to implement their anti-narcotics promotional activities during the year. The 50 member ACAN Youth Volunteer Group, established in 1981 with a view to training and encourag- ing young volunteers to play an active part in anti-narcotics work, took part in the district campaigns and organised various community involvement activities.
To_support these activities and to publicise the anti-narcotics message, television and radio announcements, films, posters, leaflets as well as an anti-narcotics theme song were produced.
The ACAN Drug Abuse Telephone Enquiry Service (DATES) received 1 525 enquiries from both addicts and non-addicts, most concerning drug addiction treatment facilities.
International Action
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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 22 regional and international meetings and seminars concerned with anti-drug policies, law enforcement, treatment and rehabilitation, and preventive education. In 1988, Hong Kong made its annual contribution of $110,000 to the United Nations Fund for Drug Abuse Control in support of its world-wide anti- narcotics activities, which include opium poppy crop-substitution programmes 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, 254 people from 22 countries and international bodies 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,
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