XN000022-1982-02-27 — Page 2

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1982

NARCOTICS CHIEF CALLS FOR GREATER ANTI-DRUG EFFORTS

*****

THE COMMISSIONER FOR NARCOTICS MR PETER LEE TODAY (SATURDAY) CALLED ON TEACHERS, PARENTS AND OTHERS TO REDOUBLE THEIR EFFORTS IN EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLE ON THE EVILS OF DRUG ADDICTION.

IN AN OPENING SPEECH TO THE SHAM SHUI PO ANTI-NARCOTICS SEMINAR ORGANISED BY THE SHAM SHUI PO DISTRICT ANTI-NARCOTICS COMMITTEE, MR LEE SAID THAT ALTHOUGH CONTINUOUS PROGRESS WAS MADE IN THE BATTLE AGAINST DRUG TRAFFICKING AND ABUSE IN HONG KONG FROM 1974 TO 1980, THERE WAS A SHARP REVERSAL AS A RESULT OF THE SUDDEN INFLUX OF DRUGS INTO HONG KONG LAST YEAR.

THIS INFLUX LED TO THE HALVING OF THE PRICE OF HEROIN, NOW FREELY AVAILABLE ON THE STREETS OF THIS TERRITORY.

*THE NUMBER OF THOSE CHARGED WITH MINOR DRUG OFFENCES HAS RISEN BY 37 PER CENT, THERE HAS BEEN AN INCREASE OF 19 PER CENT IN THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS FIRST REPORTED TO THE CENTRAL REGISTRY OF DRUG ABUSE IN 1981 AS COMPARED TO 1980.

+THE NUMBER OF YOUNG PEOPLE AGED BETWEEN 15 AND 19 YEARS OLD WHO WERE FIRST REPORTED TO THE CENTRAL REGISTRY LAST YEAR WAS 571, WHICH WAS MORE THAN DOUBLE THOSE REPORTED IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR, THE COMMISSIONER REPORTED.

WARNING THAT DRUG TRAFFICKERS WILL STOP AT NOTHING IN THEIR PURSUIT OF THE ENORMOUS PROFITS INVOLVED, MR LEE CALLED FOR A REDOUBLING OF ALL EFFORTS AND MOBILISATION OF ALL RESOURCES TO WARN THE COMMUNITY, PARTICULARLY THE YOUNG PEOPLE, OF THE DANGERS OF ADDICTION TO DRUGS.

+CHILDREN WHO ARE ENCOURAGED AND ASSISTED TO DEVELOP HEALTHY MINDS AND BODIES ARE MUCH LESS LIKELY, AS THEY GROW OLDER, TO SEEK ESCAPE IN DRUGS FROM THE PRESSURES OF LIFE AND RESPONSIBILITY.

+SENSIBLE GUIDANCE IN THE CHILDREN'S FORMATIVE YEARS CAN GO A LONG WAY TO DEVELOP THEIR PERSONALITIES AND RESPONSIBLE ATTITUDES TOWARDS SOCIETY AS A WHOLE, HE SAID.

TOWARDS THIS PUBLIC EDUCATION GOAL, A DRUG EDUCATION LIAISON CENTRE WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE NARCOTICS DIVISION TO HELP SCHOOLS ORGANISE TALKS AND DISCUSSIONS.

IT HAS ALSO EDUCATIONAL SLIDES, FILMS AND VARIOUS INFORMATION SHEETS AND REFERENCE MATERIALS FOR THIS PURPOSE AND SCHOOLS ARE ENCOURAGED TO MAKE USE OF THESE RESOURCES, MR LEE SAID.

ABOUT 100 SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS ATTENDED THE SEMINAR.