TUESDAY, MARCH 23, 1993
VOLUNTARY DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMMES TO FORGE CLOSER LINKS
THE
THE GOVERNMENT IS TO STRENGTHEN THE LINKAGE BETWEEN METHADONE TREATMENT PROGRAMME AND THE IN-PATIENT PROGRAMMES OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE AID AND REHABILITATION OF DRUG ABUSERS (SARDA) FROM NEXT MONTH.
THIS WAS REVEALED BY COMMISSIONER FOR NARCOTICS, MR ALASDAIR SINCLAIR, AT THE LUNCHEON MEETING OF ROTARY CLUB OF PENINSULA TODAY (TUESDAY).
AND
HE SAID AN OVERALL REVIEW OF THE TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES WAS CONDUCTED LAST YEAR IN CONSULTATION WITH AGENCIES DEPARTMENTS CONCERNED.
MR SINCLAIR SAID ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE REVIEW THAT SARDA SHOULD TAKE OVER FROM THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AS PROVIDER OF SOCIAL COUNSELLING SERVICES AT METHADONE CLINICS.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS WOULD BE ΤΟ FACILITATE REFERRAL PATIENTS BETWEEN THE TWO PROGRAMMES.
WAS
THE
OF
SOCIAL WORKERS FROM SARDA, WITH THE SUPPORT OF PEER COUNSELLORS, WOULD ADOPT A PRO-ACTIVE APPROACH TO IDENTIFY AND REFER THE BETTER-MOTIVATED METHADONE PATIENT TO SARDA'S TREATMENT CENTRES FOR DETOXIFICATION.
THEY WOULD ALSO REFER DROPOUTS FROM THE SARDA IN-PATIENT PROGRAMMES TO THE METHADONE PROGRAMME FOR MAINTENANCE TREATMENT.
"WE HOPE THAT THIS CHANGE WILL ENCOURAGE MORE DRUG ABUSERS TO RECEIVE APPROPRIATE FORMS OF TREATMENT, HE ADDED.
"
TOUCHING ON THE DRUG SITUATION, MR SINCLAIR THE PROPORTION OF YOUNG DRUG ABUSERS AMONG THOSE BEEN ON THE INCREASE.
POINTED OUT THAT NEWLY REPORTED HAD
ACCOUNTED FOR 27.3
IN 1982, YOUNG PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 21 PER CENT OF NEWLY REPORTED DRUG ABUSERS; TEN YEARS LATER, IN 1992, THAT PROPORTION HAD INCREASED TO 47.7 PER CENT.
IN 1992, 1,386 YOUNG PEOPLE UNDER 21 WERE REPORTED FOR THE FIRST TIME AS HAVING ABUSED DRUGS, WHILE IN 1991 THE CORRESPONDING FIGURE WAS 1,030. THIS REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF 34.6 PER CENT IN ONE YEAR.
ON PREVENTIVE EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY, MR SINCLAIR SAID A CO-ORDINATED AND COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMME, WITH THE MAXIMUM OF COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, FORMED AN ESSENTIAL PART DEMAND-REDUCTION EFFORTS.
OF
THE
THE PRIMARY AIM WAS TO PUBLICISE THE DANGERS OF DRUG ABUSE AND PROMOTE THE ADVANTAGES OF A DRUG-FREE LIFESTYLE.
/CHILDREN AND