XN000022-1975-03-01 — Page 4

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SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 1975

ACAN REPORT FOR 1973-74 PUBLISHED

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THERE ARE MORE DRUG ADDICTS IN THE 25-29 AND 40-64 AGE GROUPS AND LEAST IN THE 15-19 AGE BRACKET IN HONG KONG.

THIS FINDING WAS COMPILED FROM RETURNS COVERING THE PERIOD FROM APRIL 1, 1972 TO MARCH 31, 1973 RECEIVED BY THE CENTRAL REGISTER OF DRUG ADDICTS OF THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS (ACAN).

OTHER FINDINGS, REVEALED IN THE ACAN 1973-74 REPORT PUBLISHED TODAY ARE:

* THERE WERE ABOUT 50 MALE ADDICTS TO 1 FEMALE ADDICT,

ALTHOUGH THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE SEXES IN THE GENERAL POPULATION IS ABOUT EQUAL-

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ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF ALL DIVORCED OR SEPARATED PERSONS APPEAR TO BE DRUG ADDICTS=

SIXTY PERCENT OF ADDICTS LIVED IN TEMPORARY STRUCTURES OF SHARED LIVING QUARTERS=

THERE WAS NO STRONG EVIDENCE THAT ADDICTION WAS ASSOCIATED WITH ANY PARTICULAR OCCUPATION=

TWO-THIRDS OF ALL ADDICTS CLAIMED THEY HAD NEVER COMMITTED ANY NON-DRUG OFFENCES-

* OF THOSE WHO HAD COMMITTED NON-DRUG OFFENCES, TWO-THIRDS

WERE INVOLVED IN OFFENCES, AGAINST PROPERTY- AND

*

HEROIN ADDICTS, ESPECIALLY YOUNGER ONES, WERE MORE WILLING TO ATTEND TREATMENT.

WHILE TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION SERVICES IN HONG KONG ARE OF A HIGH STANDARD, THE REPORT NOTED, THEY ARE NOT YET LARGE ENOUGH TO CATER FOR THE NUMBER OF ADDICTS IN HONG KONG, ESTIMATED TO BE AS MUCH AS 100,000.

DURING THE YEAR REPORTED, 6,387 PATIENTS, INCLUDING 262 WOMEN, WERE TREATED BY THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT, THE SOCIETY FOR THE AID AND REHABILITATION OF DRUG ADDICTS AND THE DISCHARGED PRISONERS' AID SOCIETY.

/A THREE-YEAR

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