XN000022-1977-11-13 — Page 4

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1977

ANTI-DRUG +HOT LINE+ POPULAR

*****

+ASK, AND IT WILL BE GIVEN+ -- THAT IS WHAT THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS' (ACAN) +HOT LINE 3-668822+ PROMISES TO DO TO HELP PEOPLE WITH DRUG PROBLEMS.

FAR MORE PEOPLE THAN EXPECTED ARE MAKING USE OF THIS SPECIALLY ESTABLISHED DRUG ENQUIRY SERVICE TO OBTAIN ANSWERS TO THEIR PROBLEMS IN CONNECTION WITH DRUG ABUSE.

SINCE THE SERVICE CAME INTO OPERATION ON SEPTEMBER 15,

AN AVERAGE OF ABOUT

A TOTAL OF 1,500 CALLS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED

30 A DAY.

A STUDY OF THESE CALLS SHOWED THAT MOST OF THEM WERE CONNECTED WITH TREATMENT, REHABILITATION AND AFTER-CARE SERVICES OFFERED BY BOTH THE GOVERNMENT AND THE VOLUNTARY AGENCIES, INDICATING A KEEN INTEREST OF DRUG DEPENDENTS AND THEIR RELATIVES AND FRIENDS IN SUCH EXISTING SERVICES.

OTHERS TOUCHED MAINLY ON PREVENTION MEASURES, LAW

ENFORCEMENT AND GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE DRUG PROBLEM IN HONG KONG.

ON THE SUBJECT OF TREATMENT FACILITIES, WHAT APPEARED TO EE MOST INTERESTING TO THOSE ENQUIRERS WHO WERE EITHER DRUG ADDICTS OR THEIR RELATIVES WAS THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED ACUPUNCTURE/ELECTRO-STIMULATION OUT-PATIENT CLINIC AT TUNG WAH HOSPITAL IN PO YEE STREET, HONG KONG ISLAND.

+THE RESPONSE FROM THE PUBLIC TO THIS ENQUIRY SERVICE

IS VERY ENCOURAGING SO FAR,+ COMMENTED MR. KARL STUMPF, CHAIRMAN OF ACAN'S PREVENTIVE EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY SUB-COMMITTEE WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OPERATION OF THE SERVICE.

HE DESCRIBED THE SERVICE AS +QUITE SUCCESSFUL+ UP TO NOW BECAUSE, HE EXPLAINED, PEOPLE NOT ONLY CAME UP WITH DRUG ENQUIRIES BUT THEY ALSO DISCUSSED THE IR FAMILY AND OTHER RELATED PROBLEMS AS WELL WITH THE STAFF MANNING THE ENQUIRY SERVICE.

+WE WOULD, HOWEVER, REQUIRE A FEW MORE MONTHS TO ASCERTAIN THE EFFICACY OF THE SERVICE AND TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT SHOULD BE CONTINUED ON A LONG-TERM BAS13, + MR. STUMPF SAID.

MR. STUMPF ALSO NOTED THAT SOME MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WERE MAKING USE OF THE ENQUIRY SERVICE TO REPORT ACTIVITIES OF SUSPECTED DRUG PUSHERS OR TRAFFICKERS.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE ENQUIRY SERVICE WAS NOT DESIGNED TO SUBSTITUTE THE DRUG CR THE REPORTING FACILITIES OF THE POLICE NARCOTICS BUREAU AND THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE, AND THAT MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO REPORT SUSPECTED DRUG CRIMES SHOULD STILL CONTACT THE NARCOTICS EUREAU DIRECTLY AT 5-271234 OR THE CUSTOMS AND EXCISE SERVICE AT 5-456182 OR THEIR NEARZY POLICE STATIONS,

/A SPOKESMAN