XN000022-1985-12-30 — Page 6

DAY, DECEMPER

OVERALL RUG ABUSE PROBLEM +CONTAINED+

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THE OVERALL DRUG ABUSE PROBLEM WAS BEING CONTAINED IN HONG KONG, ALTHOUGH IT WAS ON THE RISE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.

THIS WAS DISCLOSED TODAY (MONDAY) AT THE 58TH MEETING OF THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS (ACAN), WHICH DISCUSSED THE DRUG SITUATION OVER THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF 1985.

IN THE PERIOD, 2 671 PERSONS WERE REPORTED TO THE CENTRAL REGISTRY OF DRUG ABUSE (CRDA) AS BEING NEW CASES, AN INCREASE OF 3.4 PER CENT OVER THE 2 525 NEW CASES REPORTED IN THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD IN 1984.

AND 8 994 PERSONS WERE PROSECUTED FOR DRUG OFFENCES, UP BY 9.7 PER CENT FROM 8 195 IN THE SIMILAR PERIOD IN 1984.

THE MEETING ALSO REPORTED THAT PUBLIC AWARENESS ABOUT DRUG ABUSE, ESPECIALLY AMONG PARENTS, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS HAD INCREASED THROUGH THE LAUNCHING OF TERRITORY-WIDE ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGNS.

THESE ORGANISED ACTIVITIES

IN WHICH THE MUTUAL AID COMMITTEES WERE ALSO INVOLVED, INCLUDED A FAMILY CAMP, A CONCERT, AND TALKS TO SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

PARENTS WARNED TO BE ON ALERT FOR DRUG PUSHERS

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PUBLICITY ON THE HARM CAUSED BY DRUG PUSHERS WILL BE STEPPED UP WITH THE LAUNCHING OF A NEW API (ANNOUNCEMENT OF PUBLIC INTEREST) ON TELEVISION AS FROM WEDNESDAY (JANUARY 1).

THE NEW FILM, THE SECOND IN A SERIES OF FOUR, ADOPTS A HARD-SELL APPROACH TO PUBLICISE THE CURRENT THEME OF THE ANTI-DRUG DRIVE +REPORT THE DRUG PUSHERS+.

THE FIRST API IN THE SERIES TITLED +SNAKE+ HAS BEEN SCREENED ON TELEVISION SINCE LAST SEPTEMBER.

IN THE SECOND FILM, +KIDS AS COURIERS+, PARENTS ARE URGED TO WATCH OUT IF THEIR CHILD HAS A LOT OF EXTRA SPENDING MONEY BECAUSE DRUG PUSHERS MAY HAVE EMPLOYED THE CHILD TO DELIVER DRUGS.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE PREVENTIVE EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS (ACAN) SAID, WE HOPE TO GIVE A FORCEFUL VISUAL IMPACT TO ALERT PARENTS OF THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR CHILDREN BECOMING DRUG COURIERS.

/+THE CHILDREN