XN000022-1984-06-02 — Page 3

SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 1984

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ON THE ANTI-NARCOTICS PREVENTIVE EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY PROGRAMME, MR MORTIMER SAID THAT IN 1984-85, THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS (ACAN) WOULD CONTINUE TO MOUNT DISTRICT CAMPAIGNS WITH FULL COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT TO DRIVE HOME THE ANTI-NARCOTICS MESSAGE.

THESE WOULD BE HELD IN WONG TAI SIN, SHAM SHUI PO AND KWUN TONG IN ADDITION TO THE ONE NOW BEING LAUNCHED IN THE NORTH DISTRICT.

+THE OBJECTIVES OF OUR ANNUAL DISTRICT CAMPAIGNS ARE NOT ONLY TO CREATE PUBLIC AWARENESS IN OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT THE DRUG MENACE, BUT ALSO TO HELP IN PREPARING OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO LEAD MEANINGFUL LIVES FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS, HE SAID.

MR MORTIMER EXPRESSED PARTICULAR CONCERN OVER THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE TO THE RISK OF DRUG ABUSE.

HE SAID, THE GOVERNMENT IS NOW DEVOTING A MAJOR EFFORT TOWARDS PREVENTING YOUNG PEOPLE FROM GETTING INVOLVED IN DRUGS. IN THIS RESPECT, BOTH THE FAMILY AND THE SCHOOL HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY.+

HE APPEALED TO PARENTS TO DEVOTE AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE TO THE CARE OF THE YOUNGER GENERATION.

+ IF A CHILD CAN FIND SECURITY, WARMTH, PARENTAL LOVE AND SOUND GUIDANCE AT HOME, HIS PATH THROUGH THE DIFFICULT YEARS OF ADOLESCENCE WILL BE EASED. THE RISK OF HIS HAVING TO RESORT TO DRUGS AS A MEANS OF ESCAPE FROM REALITY WILL BE MUCH LESS THAN FOR A CHILD WHO IS BROUGHT UP IN AN UNCARING FAMILY ENVIRONMENT,+ HE SAID.

MR MORTIMER SAID THAT IN THE SCHOOLS, STAFF OF THE NARCOTICS DIVISION WERE GIVING DRUG PREVENTION TALKS TO MAKE STUDENTS AWARE OF THE DANGERS OF DRUG ABUSE SO THAT THEY WOULD STEER AWAY FROM DRUGS.

SINCE THE LAUNCHING OF THE SCHOOL TALKS PROGRAMME IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR, 37 TALKS HAVE ALREADY BEEN GIVEN AND THESE HAVE BEEN ATTENDED BY OVER 13 500 SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS.

THE CEREMONY TO MARK THE OPENING OF THE 1984-85 NORTH DISTRICT ANTI-NARCOTICS AND FIGHT CRIME CAMPAIGN WAS FOLLOWED BY A VARIETY SHOW, PRODUCED BY RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG (TELEVISION DIVISION).

THE SHOW INCLUDED OPERAS WITH AN ANTI-NARCOTICS THEME AS WELL AS SINGING AND DANCE PERFORMANCES BY WELL-KNOWN ARTISTES AND STUDENTS FROM LOCAL SCHOOLS, PUNCTUATED BY ANTI-DRUG MESSAGES.

THE PROGRAMME WILL BE SCREENED ON TVB JADE TOMORROW (SUNDAY) BETWEEN 9 PM AND 10 PM.

THE EVENT, JOINTLY ORGANISED BY THE ACAN, NORTH DISTRICT FIGHT CRIME COMMITTEE AND RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG (TELEVISION DIVISION) WAS HELD AT THE FANLING RECREATION GROUND AND ATTRACTED AN AUDIENCE OF MORE THAN 10 000 PEOPLE.

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