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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1977
HK WINNING STRUGGLE AGAINST DRUG ADDICTION
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THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DRUG ADDICTS THAT RECEIVED COMPULSORY AND VOLUNTARY TREATMENT ROSE FROM 6,000 A DAY IN 1973 TO OVER 14,000 NOW WHILE THE NUMBER OF YOUNG ADDICTS HAD DECLINED, THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE SAID TODAY IN HIS OPENING ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
THE PERCENTAGE OF ADDICTS UNDER 21 IN PRISONS DEPARTMENT DRUG ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTRES ALSO FELL BETWEEN 1969 AND 1976 FROM 25 TO 8.6 PER CENT, AND AT THE VOLUNTARY TREATMENT CENTRE AT SHEK KU CHAU, THE PERCENTAGE UNDER 19 DECREASED FROM 13 TO FOUR PER CENT OVER THE SAME PERIOD, HE SAID.
THE FIGHT AGAINST DRUG ADDICTION, IN FACT, WAS MAKING PROGRESS ON ALL ITS FRONTS INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATION, LOCAL INTERDICTION AND SEIZURE AND THE REMOVAL OF DEMAND BY TREATMENT, REHABILITATION AND PREVENTIVE EDUCATION, SIR MURRAY POINTED OUT.
HE ADDED THAT THE YARDSTICKS WERE SOMEWHAT UNCERTAIN, BUT THE FACT THAT HEROIN PRICES WERE AT ITS ALL TIME HIGH AND THAT THE NUMBER OF ADDICTS UNDER COMPULSORY TREATMENT SUPERVISION AND AFTER-CARE WERE INCREASING INDICATED THE TREND.
IN JANUARY LAST YEAR THE WHOLESALE PRICE OF HERO IN WAS $19,000 A KILO, IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR IT WAS $37,000 AND THIS AUGUST IT WAS $56,000, HE SAID.
SIR MURRAY PRAISED THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS, THE SOCIETY FOR THE AID AND REHABILITATION OF DRUG ADDICTS, THÉ VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, THE NARCOTICS BUREAU OF THE POLICE, THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE AND THE MEDICAL AND PRISONS DEPARTMENTS ON THIS TREND.
+AND I HAVE NO DOUBT IT HAS BEEN MATERIALLY ASSISTED BY THE ACTIVITIES OF THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION, HE SAID,
SIR MURRAY CONTINUED: +WHILE WE ARE ENTITLED TO BELIEVE WE ARE NOW DOING THE RIGHT THINGS IN THE RIGHT WAY, WE CANNOT BE SURE WHETHER OUR ACTIVITIES ARE YET ON A SCALE COMMENSURATE WITH THE PROBLEM.
+ THE COMPLETION BY MID-1978 OF A LARGE COMPUTERISED CENTRAL REGISTRY OF DRUG ADDICTS SHOULD SHED NEW AND AUTHORITATIVE LIGHT ON THE ADEQUACY OF OUR POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES.+
TURNING TO PRISONS MATTERS, SIR MURRAY SAID A GENERAL MANAGER IS TO BE APPOINTED TO LEAD A NEW PRISONS INDUSTRY DIVISION FOLLO.. IN: ON A CONSULTANT'S STUDY ON PRISON INDUSTRIES.
/HE SAID