MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1976
CONTROL ON SOFT DRUGS TO BE TIGHTENED ******
THE GOVERNMENT IS CONSIDERING NEW LEGISLATION AIMED AT TIGHTENING THE CONTROL OF CERTAIN PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES (COMMONLY KNOWN AS SOFT DRUGS) AND DETAINING THE TRAVELLING DOCUMENTS OF PERSONS UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR SERIOUS DRUG OFFENCES.
THE ACTING COMMISSIONER FOR NARCOTICS, MR. RAFAEL HUT, DISCLOSED THIS TODAY (MONDAY) IN A TALK AT A LUNCHEON MEETING OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF VICTORIA.
MR. HUI SAID THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS, THE SOLE ADVISORY BODY TO THE GOVERNMENT ON ALL ANTI-NARCOTICS POLICIES, HAD ENDORSED A PROPOSAL TO TIGHTEN THE CONTROL OF SOME PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES THAT MIGHT BE ABUSED, OR ILLICITLY MANUFACTURED AND SMUGGLED ABROAD ON A LARGE SCALE FOR TRAFFICKING.
AT PRESENT, HE POINTED OUT THAT MOST PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES WERE CONTROLLED UNDER THE PHARMACY AND POISONS ORDINANCE WHICH IS PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH MALPRACTICES ON THE PART OF DEALERS AND DISPENSARIES, AND DOES NOT, ON THE WHOLE, PROVIDE PARTICULARLY
HARSH PUNISHMENT,
HE REVEALED THAT CONSIDERATION WAS NOW BEING GIVEN TO INCLUDE, IN ADDITION TO THE PHARMACY AND POISONS ORDINANCE, SOME OF THESE SUBSTANCES IN THE DANGEROUS DRUGS ORDINANCE WHICH PROVIDES A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF LIFE IMPRISONMENT AND A FINE OF FIVE MILLION DOLLARS. RELEVANT OFFENCES WOULD THEN BE SIMILARLY PUNISHED AS
IF THEY WERE CONCERNED WITH HEROIN AND OPIUM.
MR. HUI SAID ALTHOUGH HEROIN WAS STILL THE MAIN DRUG OF ABUSE IN HONG KONG AT PRESENT AND SOFT DRUGS+ WERE NOT YET A PROBLEM, NO ONE KNEW WHETHER THE ABUSE OF +SOFT DRUGS+ WOULD BECOME WIDESPREAD OR NOT IN FUTURE.
+TIMELY PREVENTIVE ACTION HAS TO BE TAKEN NOW IN ORDER TO FORESTALL SUCH AN EVENTUALITY, IF IT EVER OCCURS, HE SAID.
INITIALLY, HE ADDED, TWO PARTICULAR TYPES OF PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES WOULD BE CONSIDERED. ONE WAS AMPHETAMINES WHICH WERE STIMULANTS AND COULD, IF ABUSED REPEATEDLY, LEAD TO LOSS OF APPETITE, DELUSIONS AND ORGANIC DAMAGE. THE OTHER WAS METHAQUOLONE, OR +MANDRAX+, A TRANQUILIZER WHICH COULD CAUSE ADDICTION, CONFUSION, DIZZINESS AND ORGANIC DAMAGE IF TAKEN EXCESSIVELY OVER A PERIOD.
ON THE DETENTION OF TRAVELLING DOCUMENTS OF PERSONS UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR SERIOUS DRUG OFFENCES, MR. HUI SAID, THE ADVANTAGES WERE OBVIOUS.
/HE SAID ..***
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