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The Pharmacy and Poisons (Amendment) Regulation 1995 introduced by the Secretary for Health and Welfare earlier this afternoon and approved, seeks to raise the maximum penalty prescribed in the Regulation and equate them to the maximum level kept by the principle ordinance. These proposals are aim to provide a much greater deterrent effect in combating the illegal sale of drugs, The Poisons Lists (Amendment) Regulation 1995, also approved earlier this afternoon, tightened control over the sale of cough medicines.
As part of the Government's Forward Action Plan, the Department of Health has plans to strengthen its law enforcement actions to reduce the supply of illicit drugs through retail premises. The frequency of test purchases and inspections of drug retail premises are being increased again. The number of test purchases conducted in 1994 was 6,128, as compared to 1,389 in 1993. The number of inspections of pharmacies in 1994 was 476, as compared to 248 in 1993. There will be an additional 4 pharmacist inspectors and 1 casual worker deployed this year. The frequency of inspections will be further enhanced by more effective staff deployment and re-prioritisation of activities in the Pharmaceutical Division of the Department of Health. A special task force will also be set up later this year.
In addition to the above, we will step up efforts to combat drug abuse by providing in this year the Police Narcotics Bureau with 38 additional police officers to increase its surveillance activities as well as several hundred more policemen on the beat.
The Department of Health is holding discussions with the medical and pharmacist professions to come up with possible new measures that could be introduced to further tighten control on malpractice and illegal sale of drugs. The Medical Council is also considering new measures to control the situation.
Both the Department of Health, and, I have no doubt, the Medical Council will reflect on the many ideas in this area put forward by Members of this debate.
As I have said before in this Council, the Government is committed to a multi- faceted approach to tackle the drug problem. This includes co-ordination at district levels, targeting preventive education and publicity at high-risk groups, and promotion of the parental role to steer their children away from drugs. The provision of more treatment and rehabilitation facilities for drug abusers is also a priority. This includes the establishment of additional residential treatment centres for young opiate drug abusers and a new counselling centre for psychotropic substance abusers, as well as the provision of additional substance abuse clinics.
We will introduce further measures as the situation warrants. We will shortly review the penalties for illegal sale of drugs and will propose changes if necessary.