XN000022-1973-10-31 — Page 42

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Wednesday, October 31, 1973

REGISTRY BUILDING UP PICTURE OF DRUG ADDICTS

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A Central Registry of Drug Addicts set up in 1972 is helping

to build up a clear picture of the type of people who abuse narcotics

in Hong Kong.

According to the 1972-73 Hong Kong Narcotics Progress Report

tabled in the Legislative Council today, data contained in 24,000 returns

received from reporting agencies was fed into the registry during its

first year in operation.

The report, compiled by the chairman of the Action Committee

Against Narcotios, Sir Albert Rodrigues, says a preliminary tabulation

based on 8,517 returns has produced characteristics which are probably

broadly representative of the 80,000 to 100,000 addicts estimated to be

in Hong Kong.

The tabulation, carried out in October, 1972, showed that the

majority of addicts were males in the 20 to 29 and 40 to 49 years of age

bracket.

About half of them were single, 40 per cent were married and 4.5

per cent were either divorced or separated.

More than half worked as craftsmen, production process workera

and labourers.

Of those who had been convicted of non-drug offences, almost

half were involved in offences against property.

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