XN000022-1984-06-13 — Page 22

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13, 1984

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GOVERNOR RETURNS TOMORROW

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THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, WILL RETURN FROM PEKING TOMORROW (THURSDAY) AFTER THE LATEST ROUND OF SINO-BRITISH TALKS.

HE WILL BE TRAVELLING ON FLIGHT CA 101, ETA 11.15 AM.

FEWER REPORTS ON YOUTH DRUG LINKS

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IN THE FIRST QUARTER THIS YEAR, 226 PEOPLE UNDER THE AGE OF 21 WERE NEWLY REPORTED FOR INVOLVEMENT IN DRUGS, DOWN 21 PER CENT ON THE SAME QUARTER OF 1983, THE COMMISSIONER FOR NARCOTICS,

MR GORDON MORTIMER, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY),

WHILE THE NUMBER REPRESENTED A DECLINE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ONE AND A HALF YEARS, IT WAS STILL TOO HIGH, MR MORTIMER SAID, IN AN ADDRESS TO THE LUNCH MEETING OF THE LIONS CLUB OF

VICTORIA.

IN THE SAME QUARTER, 410 KG OF ILLICIT HEROIN WAS SEIZED, OR 56 PER CENT OF THE SEIZURES IN THE WHOLE OF 1983, WHICH WAS ITSELF A RECORD YEAR, HE SAID.

ALL THESE WERE PARTICULARLY ENCOURAGING SIGNS, HE SAID.

MR MORTIMER APPEALED TO PARENTS, TEACHERS AND EMPLOYERS TO SAFEGUARD THE YOUNG BY STEERING THEM AWAY FROM DRUGS.

HE SAID THAT HONG KONG HAD EARNED INTERNATIONAL ACCLAIM FOR ITS WORK IN THE FIELD OF TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION OF DRUG ABUSERS.

IN 1983, OVER 15 000 ADMISSIONS TO THE VARIOUS TREATMENT PROGRAMMES WERE RECORDED AND, ON AVERAGE, ABOUT 12 700 ADDICTS WERE RECEIVING SOME FORM OF TREATMENT, REHABILITATION AND AFTERCARE EACH DAY.

+THIS SAYS MUCH FOR HONG KONG'S PROGRESS IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF ITS TREATMENT FACILITIES, COMPARED WITH THE SITUATION 11 YEARS AGO WHEN ANNUAL ADMISSIONS WERE BELOW 2 000,+ MR MORTIMER SAID.

HE SAID THAT WITH PROPER MEDICAL CARE AND ATTENTION, DETOXIFICATION COULD USUALLY BE ACHIEVED IN ABOUT 10 DAYS.

/BUT HE