SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1983
NEW COURSES OF ACTION AGAINST DRUG ABUSE
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THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT IS PURSUING WITH DETERMINATION ITS DECLARED POLICY OF SEEKING THE ERADICATION OF DRUG ABUSE FROM THE COMMUNITY, THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE SAID THIS (SUNDAY) EVENING.
TO COMBAT THE INCREASED INVOLVEMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN DRUG TAK ING HERE. SEVERAL NEW COURSES OF ACTION RECOMMENDED BY THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS WOULD BE FOLLOWED, HE SAID.
SIR EDWARD WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE SECOND PAN PACIFIC CONFERENCE ON DRUGS AND ALCOHOL AT THE SHANGRI-LA HOTEL.
THE ONE-WEEK CONFERENCE IS BEING ATTENDED BY OVER 330 DELEGATES FROM 27 COUNTRIES AND HONG KONG.
FIRST, GREATER EMPHASIS WOULD BE GIVEN TO PREVENTIVE EDUCATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS, SIR EDWARD SAID.
SPECIAL ATTENTION WOULD BE PAID TO THE TREATMENT OF FIRST-TIME ADDICTS AND TO THEIR AFTER-CARE WHILE MORE HELP WOULD BE SOUGHT FROM PARENTS IN STEERING THEIR CHILDREN AWAY FROM DRUGS, HE SAID.
AT THE SAME TIME, EVERY ENCOURAGEMENT WOULD BE GIVEN TO YOUNG PEOPLE TO TAKE PART IN HEALTHY RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES,
ALTHOUGH ALCOHOLISM WAS A MAJOR PROBLEM IN ADVANCED COUNTRIES, IT HAD NOT REACHED SUCH PROPORTIONS IN HONG KONG, HE TOLD THE GATHER ING.
+BUT OUR POSITION AS A COMMUNICATIONS CENTRE MAKES US VERY VULNERABLE TO THE TRAFFICKING OF DRUGS.
+WE ARE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE INCREASING INVOLVEMENT OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN DRUG TAK ING, WHICH HAS TAKEN PLACE AGAINST A BACKGROUND OF PLENTIFUL SUPPLY AND LOW STREET PRICES.
+THIS INCREASED INVOLVEMENT HAS DEVELOPED IN SPITE OF OUR VIGOROUS DRUG PREVENTION PROGRAMMES WHICH ARE COORDINATED BY THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS, SIR EDWARD SAID.
OVER 2 300 OFFICERS OF THE POLICE FORCE AND CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE ARE IN THE FOREFRONT OF THE BATTLE AGAINST DRUG TRAFFICKING.
AT PRESENT, SOME 12 900 ADDICTS ARE IN TREATMENT OR AFTERCARE THROUGH TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES OPERATED BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT, CORRECTIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES IN WHICH OVER 800 TRAINED STAFF ARE EMPLOYED, SIR EDWARD POINTED OUT.
/THE VOLUNTARY