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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1 75
DETOXIFICATION CLINIC MAY BE SET UP NEXT CAR ******
THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR. GERALD CHOA, SAID TODAY STEPS WOULD BE TAKEN TO IMPLEMENT PLANS FOR A DETOXIFICATION PROGRAMME - A METHOD PROVEN SUCCESSFUL IN
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THE UNITED STATES IN THE TREATMENT OF DRUG ADDICTS.
HE SAID IT WAS NOT YET POSSIBLE TO SAY WHEN THE FIRST DETOXIFICATION CLINIC WOULD COME INTO OPERATION, BUT HE 'WAS HOPEFUL THAT IT SHOULD COME ABOUT EARLY NEXT YEAR.
DR. CHOA SAID HE WAS ENCOURAGED BY WHAT HE HAD SEEN DURING HIS RECENT MONTH-LONG TOUR OF DRUG ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTRES IN VARIOUS AMERICAN CITIES,
+1 SEE NO REASON WHY THE DETOXIFICATION PROGRAMME, WHICH HAS DEEN SUCCESSFULLY TRIED OUT IN THE UNITED STATES, CANNOT BE APPLIED IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.
THE DIRECTOR EMPHASISED THAT DETOXIFICATION WAS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR OTHER TREATMENT PROGRAMMES.
+RATHER, IT IS BUT ANOTHER DIFFERENT TYPE OF TREATMENT PROGRAMME THAT SHOULD BE RUN CONCURRENTLY WITH OTHERS IN DEALING WITH THE PROBLEM OF DRUG ADDICTION,+ HE SAID.
HE SAID HE HAD ALWAYS BELIEVED IN MULTIPLE APPROACHES TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM OF DRUG ADDICTION, AND HE WAS WILLING TO TRY ALL REASONABLE METHODS, BEARING IN MIND NOT TO SQUANDER THE TAXPAYERS' HONEY.
DR. CHOA HAS JUST RETURNED FROM THE UNITED STATES WHERE HE ATTENDED A MULTI-REGIONAL DRUG ABUSE REDUCTION SEMINAR AT THE INVITATION OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT, REPRESENTATIVES OF 18 COUNTRIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD TOOK PART IN THE SEMINAR, THE OBJECT OF WHICH WAS TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE COUNTRIES WITH DRUG ADDICTION PROBLEMS TO SEE HOW SUCH PROBLEMS WERE BEING TACKLED IN THE UNITED STATES. THE SEMINAR ALSO PROVIDED A FORUM FOR THE NARCOTICS FIGHTERS TO EXCHANGE VIEWS ON DRUG ADDICTION TREATMENT METHODS.
DR. CHOA SAID THE SEMINAR WAS MOST INFORMATIVE AS EACH PARTICIPANT HAD TO PRESENT AN INFORMATION PAPER ABOUT THE DRUG ADDICTION SITUATION IN THEIR OWN COUNTRIES AND HOW THEIR GOVERNMENTS WERE TACKLING THE PROBLEM.
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+HONG KONG HAS NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF AS FAR AS EFFORTS TO COMBAT THE PROBLEM ARE CONCERNED,+ HE SAID.
THE DIRECTOR