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Finally on Research
The Government, and this is initial, I don't doubt that we will need to do more, the Government will make available an additional $1 million for drug- related research to help us gain a better understanding of the drug situation. But we'll need to look sympathetically at further sensible proposals for more research because I was very very struck by what Professor Hedley said in his comments.
A lot of points this afternoon, good points, sensible points, points on which we will have to respond and points which will be considered by the review team that I have mentioned earlier. So I hope that we'll be able to convince all of you, even if we don't do everything you want that we have looked at it seriously and sensibly in a rational way and try to use your experience, you expertise, you ideas to put together a coherent strategy.
We've obviously got a busy year ahead. One reason for having another Summit this time next year is to make sure that you know that we haven't just sat back after this meeting and thought that we've done everything that was required.
We hope that these actions and measures, coupled with follow-up on a number of the other proposals coming from you during the last three hours, will give a really big boost to our campaign because this really is one battle which the whole community wants to win. I don't think that we should let people down. We mustn't let our young people down. As our slogan says: "Together, we can beat drugs". Together, I really believe that we can do it.
Hong Kong has pointed the way in very many areas of economic and social life in the last 40, 45 years. Hong Kong has done some things which the rest of the world might have thought impossible. I think it would be nice if in five or ten years' time we could add our ability to deal with, cope with, constrain drug abuse. I think it would be nice if we can add that to our list of achievements. I think we owe it to our young people at least to have a go and I am grateful to all of you for being part of that campaign. Thank you very much.
End/Monday, March 6, 1995