CO129-591-8 Policy directives 10-3-1944 - 17-8-1944 — Page 91

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File 54132

90

HONG KONG

CIVIL AFFAIRS POLICY DIRECTIVES

54132.

Second Draft

14/4/44.

OPIUM

In view of the statement of policy made by His Majesty's

Government on 10th November, 1943, (copy annexed) announcing the

total prohibition of opium smoking in British and British Protected

territories, it will be necessary at an early date to repeal the

consolidating Opium Ordinance (No.7 of 1932) and subsequent

amendments, and simultaneously to take the requisite legislative

steps to bring raw and prepared opium within the scope of the

Dangerous Drugs Ordinance (No.31 of 1932).

2. Thereafter it will be the duty of the Police Force, and

of any special preventive staff which it may be necessary to employ,

to take steps to deal with opium-smoking on the same lines as were

adopted in the years preceding 1941 to eradicate certain other

habit-forming druge, in particular, heroin.

3. Funds for this purpose will have to be provided as they

were for the anti-heroin campaign before the war.

4. It will be desirable to start a popular movement against

opium-smoking based on an appeal against racial degradation, and

this should be backed by encouragement among the Chinese youths

of the Colory of outdoor sport of all descriptions such as had

become such a feature of local life in the years shortly before

1941.

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It will probably be necessary to arrange in due course

with suitable authorities in Kuangtung for the treatment and restitution of opium addicts on a payment basis (for genuine residents) similar to that employed in the case of lepers and

lunatics.