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Wednesday, October 17, 1973
MAJOR NEW DRIVE AGAINST DRUG ABUSE
Sir Murray Outlines Further Preventive Measures
A concerted new effort will be made to combat the scourge of narcotics
on all fronts, with particular emphasis on the suppression of distribution
and smuggling of drugs into Hong Kong and the cure of addicts to eradicate the
demand.
In his opening address to the new Legislative Council session today,
the Governor, Sir Murray MacLehose, outlined some of the new measures to be
taken and announced that a White Paper, embodying recommendations for action,
would be published about the end of this year for public comment.
It had already been decided, he said, to place the organisation, co-
ordination and control of the intensified effort in the hands of the Action
Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN), which is to be revamped and given wider
authority.
At the same time, the Governor announced that a special division
would be set up within the Medical and Health Services with sole responsibility
for drug addiction treatment and research. The division would pool expert opinion
and authority to help guide ACAN.
The membership of the Action Committee, he said, would be streamlined
and its terms of reference strengthened to make it the only channel of advice
to the government on all policy aspects of the drive against narcotics and
drug addiction, including the allocation of resources to both government
departments and voluntary agencies.
/Sir Albert ...............
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