XN000022-1977-03-11 — Page 4

FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 1977

- 3 -

WAR ON DRUG ABUSE TO CONTINUE

******

THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR. LEWIS DAVIES, TODAY (FRIDAY) REASSURED THAT THE FIGHT AGAINST DRUG ABUSE WOULD CONTINUE DESPITE ENCOURAGING EVIDENCE THAT HONG KONG HAS CONTAINED THE PROBLEM.

SPEAKING AT THE LION'S CLUB LUNCHEON MEETING, MR. DAVIES SAID THAT HONG KONG HAD ALREADY CEASED TO BE A CENTRE FOR INTERNATIONAL DRUG TRAFFICKING, BUT HE NOTED THAT ILLICIT TRAFFICKING TO MEET LOCAL DEMAND PERSISTED.

IN HIS REASSURANCE THAT THE GOVERNMENT +WILL DO EVERYTHING IT CAN TO STAMP OUT THIS SOCIAL EVIL,+ MR. DAVIES OUTLINED THE FOUR-PRONG ATTACK LAW ENFORCEMENT, TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION OF ADDICTS, PREVENTIVE EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION.

ON LAW ENFORCEMENT, MR. DAVIES REVEALED THAT NOT WITHSTANDING THE SEVERITY OF PENALTIES HANDED DOWN BY THE COURTS, THE GOVERNMENT HOPED TO ACQUIRE THE POWER TO REQUIRE THE SURRENDER AND RETENTION OF TRAVEL DOCUMENTS FROM SOME PERSONS IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.

+WE ARE STILL CONTINUING TO REVIEW EXISTING LEGISLATION WITH A VIEW TO STRENGTHENING IT FURTHER, MR. DAVIES SAID.

CONCERNING THE TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION OF DRUG ADDICTS, MR. DAVIES DISCLOSED THAT HONG KONG NOW TREATED ABOUT TWICE AS MANY PEOPLE A YEAR AS IT DID FOUR YEARS AGO.

THE SECRETARY FOR SECURITY ADDED THAT IT COST THE GOVERNMENT ABOUT $27 MILLION A YEAR FOR TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION.

THERE IS NOW AN ANNUAL CASELOAD OF ABOUT 20,000. ABOUT 6,500 ADDICTS AT ANY ONE TIME ARE UNDERGOING VARIOUS PROGRAMMES OF TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION AT THE VARIOUS CENTRES AND CLINICS AND A FURTHER 6,000 ARE RECEIVING AFTER CARE, HE SAID.

ON PUBLICITY AND PUBLIC EDUCATION, MR. DAVIES SAID THAT THE TARGET OF THE DRIVE WAS DIRECTED TOWARDS YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE 15 TO 24 AGE GROUP WHO ARE PARTICULARLY PRONE TO BAD SOCIAL INFLUENCES.

HE CALLED ON THE PUBLIC TO HELP THE GOVERNMENT IN THESE EFFORTS AND ALSO URGED THEM TO ASSIST THE ADDICTS IN RETURNING TO SOCIETY TO LEAD A NORMAL LIFE BY ENCOURAGING THEM TO SEEK TREATMENT AND OFFERING THEM SUITABLE EMPLOYMENT.

REFERRING TO INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, MR. DAVIES PLEDGED SUPPORT FOR JOINT ACTION AS +OUR DRUG PROBLEM IS NOW IMPORTED, IT CANNOT BE SOLVED BY INTERNAL MEANS ONLY.+

14....