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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1988
"DISCOS AND PARTIES ARE POPULAR PLACES WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE .ARE EASILY TEMPTED TO ABUSE DRUGS, HE SAID.
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THE ACTING COMMISSIONER FURTHER NOTED THAT BOTH NARCOTICS, SUCH AS HEROIN AND OPIUM, AND PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES, INCLUDING MANDRAX AND CANNABIS, WERE DANGEROUS AND COULD LEAD то ADDICTION DEPENDENCE IF MISUSED,
OR
"IN FACT, TAKING PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES WITHOUT PROPER MEDICAL GUIDANCE AND PRESCRIPTION IS DRUG ABUSE, HE EXPLAINED.
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"THE RESULT CAN BE SERIOUS AND IN SOME CASES EVEN FATAL.
IN MOST CASES, YOUNG PEOPLE WERE LURED INTO DRUG ABUSE
OF THE FOLLOWING COMMON CAUSES:-
CURIOSITY;
-
PEER GROUP PRESSURE;
SEARCH FOR SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE;
―
DESIRE FOR FUN;
ESCAPE FROM BOREDOM OR HARSH REALITY; AND
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BECAUSE
MISTAKEN BELIEF THAT OCCASIONAL ABUSE WOULD NOT LEAD ADDICTION.
MR REYNALDS POINTED OUT THAT STRINGENT HAD BEEN IMPOSED ON DRUG ABUSE.
LEGISLATIVE
то
CONTROLS
POSSESSION OF DANGEROUS DRUGS FOR THE PURPOSE OF TRAFFICKING WAS A SERIOUS CRIME IN HONG KONG AND THE MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR AN OFFENDER, ON CONVICTION, WAS LIFE IMPRISONMENT AND A FINE OF $5 MILLION.
PERSONS FOUND IN ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF SMALL DANGEROUS DRUGS WERE LIABLE UPON CONVICTION TO IMPRISONMENT AND A FINE OF $10,000.
QUANTITIES OF THREE YEARS'
MR REYNALDS ALSO APPEALED TO THE PUBLIC TO TELEPHONE THE POLICE NARCOTICS BUREAU ON 5-271234 OR THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT ON 5-456182 OR 5-8521437 IF THEY SUSPECTED THAT ANY PERSON WAS A DRUG PUSHER OR TRAFFICKER.
HE ALSO NOTED THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC COULD MAKE USE OF THE DRUG ABUSE TELEPHONE ENQUIRY HOTLINE, 3-668822, OR CALL THE SOCIETY FOR THE AID AND REHABILITATION OF DRUG ABUSERS ON 5-277723 TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT TREATMENT FACILITIES IF NECESSARY.
ABUSE,
"FOR ANY PROBLEM ABOUT PSYCHOTROPIC DRUG COUNSELLING CAN BE SOUGHT FROM PS 33, A CENTRE RUN BY THE CHRISTIAN SERVICE, ON 3-688269," HE SAID.
ADVICE OR HONG KONG
"ALL CALLS OR REPORTS ARE TREATED IN THE STRICTEST CONFIDENCE, MR REYNALDS ADDED.
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