XN000022-1975-10-07 — Page 2

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1975

GOVERNMENT RE-EXAMINES LAWS TO CONTROL DRUGS

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THE COMMISSIONER FOR NARCOTICS, MR. E.1. LEE, SAID TODAY THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS UNDER CONSTANT REVIEW NEW INITIATIVES IN LEGISLATION TO TIGHTEN CONTROL OVER DRUGS AND THE ESSENTIAL CONSTITUENTS OF THEIR MANUFACTURE.

SPEAKING AT A LUNCHEON OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF HONG KONG HE SAID THAT THIS YEAR, FOR EXAMPLE, HONG KONG BECAME THE FIRST PLACE IN THE WORLD TO MAKE ACETYLATING SUBSTANCES, WHICH IS USED IN THE CONVERSION OF MORPHINE INTO HEROIN, WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE CRIMINAL LAW, FOR POSSESSION WITHOUT A LICENCE.

THE GOVERNMENT IS ALSO RE-EXAMINING THE PENALTIES PROVIDED BY LAW FOR DRUG OFFENCES TO ENSURE THAT THE POLICE AND THE COURTS HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF OPTIONS +UHEN DEALING WITH THE ANTI-SOCIAL ELEMENTS ENGAGED IN TRAFFICKING, ESPECIALLY ON THE INTERNATIONAL LEVEL.+

MR. LEE ADDED: +BOTH THE POLICE AND MYSELF WOULD LIKE TO SEE VERY HEAVY FINES IMPOSED ON TRAFFICKERS, IN ADDITION TO VERY LONG PRISON SENTENCES, BOTH OF WHICH ARE PERMITTED UIDER OUR PRESENT LAUS.+

HE PRAISED THE +INTELLIGENCE GATHERING AND STRATEGIC DIRECTION OF HONG KONG'S LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES+ AND SAID THAT IMPROVED LIAISON AND PERSONAL CONTACT DETWEEN THESE OFFICERS AND THE INCREASING SOPHISTICATION OF RESEARCH FACILITIES AND COMMUNICATIONS HAVE PAID OFF IN INCREASED SEIZURES OF DRUGS AND HEROIN FACTORIES.

IN ITS EFFORTS TO REDUCE INTERNAL DEMAND, THE COMMISSIONER FOR NARCOTICS SAID ATTENTION WAS BEING DEVOTED TO THE TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION OF ADDICTS, AND EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY AIMED AT PERSUADING YOUNG PEOPLE PARTICULARLY TO AVOID THE TEMPTATIONS OF GETTING INVOLVED WITH DRUGS.

THE TREATMENT PROGRAMMES RUN BY THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT, AND BY SARDA HAVE ACHIEVED INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION. BUT WHILE THE TREATMENT OF DRUG ADDICTION AND THE REMOVAL OF THE PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS IS RELATIVELY EASY, THE GREAT PROBLEM THAT STILL CONFRONTS US IS HOW TO REDUCE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DEPENDENCE ON DRUGS WHICH CAN EXERCISE SO STRONG A HOLD ON ADDICTS.+

TO OVERCOME THIS, NEW APPROACHES ARE BEING PLANNED AND NEXT YEAR THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT WILL OPEN A DETOXIFICATION CENTRE WHICH WILL GIVE ADDICTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO FREE THEMSELVES FROM THEIR PHYSICAL DEPENDENCE WITHIN TWO WEEKS.

MR. LEE SAID CONSIDERATION WAS ALSO BEING GIVEN TO WHETHER A MORE EFFECTIVE AND SATISFACTORY METHOD OF DEALING WITH MINOR DRUG OFFENDERS, OTHER THAN IMPRISONMENT, CAN BE FOUND WHICH WILL GIVE MORE HOPE TO THE OFFENDERS AND MIGHT THEREBY PRODUCE BENEFITS FOR THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

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IN CONCLUSION, MR. LEE MADE TWO APPEALS ONE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT PUSHERS, TRAFFICKERS, HEROIN FACTORIES AND DRUG ABUSERS. THE SECOND WAS AN APPEAL TO PEOPLE IN CHARGE OF COMPANY HIRING POLICIES TO CONSIDER EMPLOYING THOSE EX-ADDICTS RECOMMENDED FOR EMPLOYMENT BY THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT, SARDA OR THE DISCHARGED PRISONERS AID SOCIETY.

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