6- THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1974
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CALL FOR EVERYONE TO JOIN FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS
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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, TODAY (THURSDAY) CALLED ON EVERYONE TO JOÍN HANDS WITH THE COMMUNITY AND THE GOVERNMENT IN EFFORTS TO COMBAT DRUG-ADDICTION.
HE SAID IF WE ALL DID THIS IT SHOULD NOT BE IMPOSSIBLE
TO REALLY MAKE HONG KONG DRUG FREE.
MR. LEE WAS SPEAKING AT THE ANNUAL SPEECH DAY OF THE SALESIAN SCHOOL AND CALLED THE ATTENTION OF THE STUDENTS TO THE DANGERS OF DRUG-ADDICTION. HE POINTED OUT THAT ONCE A PERSON BECOMES ADDICTED HE WILL DETERIORATE PHYSICALLY, ECONOMICALLY AND SOCIALLY ENDING UP AS A BURDEN ON AND CAUSING SUFFERING TO HIS FAMILY AND OTHERS AROUND HIM.
NOT ONLY THAT, MR. LEE SAID, DRUG-ADDICTION ALSO HAS ITS EFFECTS ON SOCIETY. IT IS VERY COSTLY TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO BE UNPRODUCTIVE AS WELL AS TO PROVIDE TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES AND RUN PRISONS.
HE SAID THERE ARE ALREADY MANY THEORIES ATTEMPTING TO EXPLAIN THE CAUSES OF DRUG-ADDICTION AND PEOPLE ARE STILL SEARCHING FOR MORE.
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THE PERSONALITY THEORY SUGGESTS THAT PEOPLE WITH WEAK PERSONALITIES ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO DRUG-ADDICTION AS A FORM OF ESCAPE WHILE SOCIOLOGIST WOULD CONSIDER DRUG-ADDICTION AS A FORM OF SUB-CULTURE. ON THE OTHER HAND, SOCIAL WORKERS MAY LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM AS A SYMPTOM OF SOCIETAL ILLNESS AND THE MAN-IN-THE STREET USUALLY REGARDS +UNDESIRABLE INFLUENCES+ AS A MAJOR CAUSE OF THIS VICE.
WHICHEVER THE CASE, HE POINTED OUT, AS SOON AS A MAN BECOMES ADDICTED TO DANGEROUS DRUGS, HIS PERSONAL BUSINESS ON GETTING ADDICTED WILL BECOME OTHER PEOPLE'S BUSINESS, BECAUSE HIS HABITS AND THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF DRUGS ON HIS HEALTH OBLIGE HIM TO RELY ON OTHERS INITIALLY HIS FAMILY, THEN HIS RELATIVES, COLLEAGUES, FRIENDS, AND LATER ON ANYBODY WHOM HE CAN ASK FOR HELP.
MR. LEE SAID BECAUSE OF THE CONCERN OVER THE DRUG-ADDICTION PROBLEM THE HONG KONG COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SERVICE TOGETHER WITH THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS AND THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT HAVE ORGANISED A KEEP HONG KONG DRUG FREE CAMPAIGN.
THIS CAMPAIGN, HE SAID, WAS AN APPEAL TO TEACHERS, PARENTS, EMPLOYERS AND STUDENTS ALIKE, TO CONVEY THE MESSAGE TO ALL THAT THEY COME INTO CONTACT WITH ABOUT THE TREMENDOUS HARM THAT DRUGS CAN DO AND TO SPREAD THE MESSAGE AS WIDELY AS POSSIBLE.
+WE MUST ALL REALISE THAT DRUG-ADDICTION IS NOT JUST THE DRUG ADDICTS OWN BUSINESS BUT IT IS EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS. IT IS NOT THEREFORE OUR DUTY TO TRY OUR VERY BEST TO PREVENT THIS VICE FROM PERMEATING FURTHER INTO OUR SOCIETY BY EVERY POSSIBLE MEANS? WE SHALL BE FAILING IN OUR DUTY AS CITIZENS OF HONG KONG IF WE ALLOW OUR FRIENDS, THROUGH IGNORANCE, TO BE VICTIMIZED BY THIS DREADFUL DISEASE.+
MRS. LEE PRESENTED PRIZES AND CERTIFICATES TO THE STUDENTS.
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