XN000022-1985-03-21 — Page 8

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THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 1985

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE OF ALL AGES NEWLY REPORTED IN 1984 WAS 3 377, WHILE IN 1983 THE NUMBER WAS 3 964. THIS REDUCTION, AT A RATE OF 15 PER CENT, WAS THE FIRST RECORDED SINCE 1980.

1984 WAS ALSO A RECORD YEAR FOR THE SEIZURES OF ILLICIT HEROIN. A TOTAL OF 1 341 KILOGRAMS OF ILLICIT OPIATES, MAINLY HEROIN BASE WERE SEIZED, ALMOST TWICE THE QUANTITY OF 714 KILOGRAMS SEIZED

IN 1983.

A DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PERSONS OF ALL AGES PROSECUTED FOR MAJOR AND MINOR DRUG OFFENCES WAS ALSO RECORDED. IN 1984, 11 206 PERSONS WERE PROSECUTED FOR DRUG OFFENCES, DOWN BY 0.2 PER CENT FROM 11 229 PERSONS IN 1983.

INVOLVEMENT OF YOUNG PERSONS AGED UNDER 21 IN DRUG OFFENCES DECREASED FROM 1 222 PERSONS IN 1983 TO 1 080 PERSONS IN 1984 REPRESENTING A DECREASE OF 12 PER CENT.

THE COMMISSIONER FOR NARCOTICS, MR GORDON MORTIMER, ATTRIBUTED THE DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF PERSONS, ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE, NEWLY REPORTED FOR DRUG ABUSE IN 1984, TO THE LARGE SEIZURES MADE BY THE POLICE AND CUSTOMS AND TO INTENSIVE PREVENTIVE EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY ACTIVITIES WITH COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION.

HE SAID THAT MORE EMPHASIS WAS BEING GIVEN TO PREVENTIVE EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION, HONG KONG'S ACTIVITIES IN THIS ASPECT CONTINUED TO ATTRACT CONSIDERABLE OVERSEAS INTEREST.

AT A RECENT MEETING OF THE UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION ON NARCOTIC DRUGS IN VIENNA. A RESOLUTION DRAFTED IN HONG KONG URGING OTHER GOVERNMENTS TO GIVE PRIORITY TO PREVENTIVE EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT WAS CO-SPONSORED BY 26 COUNTRIES AND WAS UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED BY THE COMMISSION.

HONG KONG IS FREQUENTLY ASKED BY THE UNITED NATIONS TO ASSIST IN THE TRAINING OF PERSONNEL IN PREVENTIVE EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY ACTIVITIES. MR HANDRICK NG, THE PRINCIPAL INFORMATION OFFICER IN THE NARCOTICS DIVISION HAS RECENTLY BEEN INVITED BY THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE GOVERNMENT OF SRI LANKA TO UNDERTAKE A CONSULTANCY VISIT TO THE COUNTRY.

IN HONG KONG, STUDENTS, YOUTH GROUPS, SOCIAL WORKERS, PARENTS AND TEACHERS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY INVOLVED IN THE FIGHT AGAINST DRUG ABUSE.

ACAN LAUNCHED THE SCHOOL TALKS TEAM IN FEBRUARY, 1984 TO GIVE DRUG EDUCATION TALKS TO THE SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY. THE TEAM HAS VISITED 155 SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND GIVEN 194 TALKS TO SOME 83 000 STUDENTS UP TO MARCH 15, 1985.

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