TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1983
DRUG FIGHTERS NOT DETERRED BY BUMPER CROPS
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THE FIGHT AGAINST NARCOTICS ABUSE KEPT UP ITS MOMENTUM LAST YEAR, DESPITE AN INCREASE IN THE SUPPLY OF ILLICIT DRUGS AND A FALL IN THEIR PRICE.
THIS IS STATED IN THE HONG KONG NARCOTICS REPORT 1982 (ENGLISH EDITION) PUBLISHED RECENTLY BY THE ACTION COMMITTEE! AGAINST NARCOTICS. THE REPORT SAYS THAT THE NUMBER OF ADDICTS WHO SOUGHT TREATMENT REMAINED HIGH AND DRUG SEIZURES EXCEEDED THOSE OF PREVIOUS YEARS BY A SIGNIFICANT MARGIN. THE INCREASE IN SUPPLY AND THE FALL IN PRICE RESULT FROM THE SECOND CONSECUTIVE BUMPER OPIUM CROP IN THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE DURING 1982.
THE REPORT SAYS, HOWEVER, THAT ALMOST ONE-THIRD OF THE 42 000 PERSONS RECORDED IN THE CENTRAL REGISTRY OF DRUG ABUSE BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1976 AND DECEMBER 1982 WERE RECEIVING SOME. FORM OF TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION EVERY DAY. IN A FOREWORD THE CHAIRMAN OF ACAN, DOCTOR SIR ALBERT RODRIGUES DESCRIBES THIS AS +A REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT BY WORLD STANDARDS+,
HE ALSO PAYS TRIBUTE TO POLICE AND CUSTOMS AND TO THOSE WORKING IN TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES.
SIR ALBERT SAID THERE WAS A NEED TO ENCOURAGE MORE DRUG ADDICTS TO ACCEPT TREATMENT, IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE DEMAND FOR ILLICIT DRUGS AND LIMIT THE SPREAD OF DRUG ADDICTION.
EXPANSION OF TREATMENT FACILITIES CONTINUED IN 1982. DURING THE YEAR, THREE NEW OUT-PATIENT METHADONE CLINICS WERE OPENED AT YUEN LONG, SHA TIN AND HUNG HOM. THE DAILY AVERAGE ATTENDANCE WAS 6 976, OR AN INCREASE OF 3.9 PER CENT OVER 1981.
IN MARCH 1982, AN AVERAGE OF 8 317 ATTENDANCES, AN ALL-TIME HIGH, WAS RECORDED.
ON LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE REPORT NOTED THAT DRUG SEIZURES IN 1982 AMOUNTED TO 595 KG, EXCEEDING THE 1981 FIGURE OF 310 Ke BY 92 PER CENT.
DURING THE YEAR, 14 HEROIN LABORATORIES WERE SUCCESSFULLY NEUTRALISED. OF THESE, 13 WERE FOUND WITH EVIDENCE OF THE 'CUTTING' OR 'DILUTING' OF HEROIN BASE.
THE REPORT ALSO REVEALED THAT DURING 1982, A TOTAL OF 9 625 PERSONS WERE PROSECUTED FOR DANGEROUS DRUGS OFFENCES, AN INCREASE OF 22.4 PER CENT OVER THE 1981 FIGURE OF 7 866.
IN ADDITION, THERE WAS A 23.1 PER CENT RISE IN THE NUMBER OF YOUNG PERSONS UNDER 21 NEWLY REPORTED TO THE CRDA FROM 753 IN 1981 TO 927 IN 1982. THERE WAS ALSO AN INCREASE IN THE INCIDENCE OF FEMALE DRUG ABUSE.
SIR ALBERT EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER THE INCREASING NUMBER OF DRUG OFFENCES AND THE INVOLVEMENT OF YOUNG PERSONS. HE NOTED THAT VIGOROUS COUNTERMEASURES HAD BEEN TAKEN TO COMBAT THE PROBLEM IN ALL AREAS.
/DURING THE
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