FRIDAY, JULY 3, 1987
MARGINAL RISE IN NEW ENTRIES TO DRUGS REGISTRY
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THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS (ACAN) WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A MARGINAL INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PERSONS NEWLY REPORTED TO THE CENTRAL REGISTRY OF DRUG ABUSE (CRDA) IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1987.
(FRIDAY), MEMBERS WERE
AT THE 64TH MEETING OF THE ACAN TODAY INFORMED THAT THE NUMBER OF PERSONS OF ALL AGES NEWLY REPORTED TO CRDA IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF 1987, AS COMPARED WITH THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD LAST YEAR, HAD INCREASED BY 3.6 PER CENT FROM 694 TO 719. THE NUMBER OF NEWLY REPORTED YOUNG PERSONS UNDER THE AGB OF 21 ALSO INCREASED BY 30.7 PER CENT, FROM 199 TO 260.
THE COMMISSIONER FOR NARCOTICS, MR GARETH MULLOY, SAID THIS LARGE INCREASE WAS MAINLY DUE TO THE INCREASE IN REPORTS BY OUTREACHING SOCIAL WORK TEAMS, REFLECTING A LARGER NUMBER OF USERS PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS RATHER THAN AN INCREASE IN HEROIN USERS.
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ALTHOUGH THE DOWNWARD TREND IN THE NUMBER OF PERSONS NEWLY REPORTED TO THE CRDA WHICH BEGAN IN 1984 DID NOT CONTINUE IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1987, MR MULLOY SAID IT WOULD BE PREMATURE TO DRAW ANY FIRM CONCLUSIONS FROM ONE QUARTER'S FIGURES.
MEANWHILE, THE COMMISSIONER ALSO REPORTED THAT ALTHOUGH THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PERSONS PROSECUTED FOR ALL DRUG OFFENCES HAD DECREASED BY 7.8 PER CENT FROM 3,059 TO 2,820 AND PROSECUTIONS OF YOUNG PERSONS UNDER 21 ALSO DECREASED BY 26.1 PER CENT, FROM 272 ΤΟ 201, NEVERTHELESS THE NUMBER OF PERSONS PROSECUTED FOR MAJOR DRUG OFFENCES INCREASED BY 13.6 PER CENT FROM 1,238 TO 1,406.
MR MULLOY SAID THAT DURING THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1987, A TOTAL OF 122 KILOGRAMS OF ILLICIT OPIATES, MAINLY NUMBER 3 HEROIN, 331 KILOGRAMS OF CANNABIS AND CANNABIS RESIN AND 1,950 MANDRAX TABLETS HAD BEEN SEIZED BY POLICE AND CUSTOMS OFFICERS.
ON PREVENTIVE EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY PROGRAMMES, HE NOTED THAT THE PUBLICITY STRATEGY FOR 1987 WOULD CONTINUE ΤΟ AIM AT STOPPING YOUNGSTERS FROM STARTING DRUGS AND TO MAKE THE PUBLIC AWARE OF OUR MOST SERIOUS DRUG PROBLEM THE ABUSE OF HEROIN.
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"HOWEVER, PUBLICITY AIMED AT PREVENTING YOUNGSTERS FROM TAKING MANDRAX AND CANNABIS WILL BE INTENSIFIED," HE SAID.
PUBLICITY FOR 1987 WILL BE CARRIED OUT ON AN UNDIMINISHED SCALE THROUGH THE MASS MEDIA, THROUGH POSTERS AND OTHER PUBLICITY AND THROUGH COMMUNITY BASED DISTRICT CAMPAIGNS AND SCHOOL TALKS AND ACTIVITIES.
/REPORTING ON