XN000022-1986-06-21 — Page 2

SATURDAY,

ME 21, 1986

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SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN DRUG CASES *****

THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS (ACAN) WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF PERSONS NEWLY REPORTED TO THE CENTRAL REGISTRY OF DRUG ABUSE (CRDA) IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1986 - THE LOWEST QUARTERLY FIGURE FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS.

AT THE 60TH MEETING OF THE ACAN HELD RECENTLY, MEMBERS WERE INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A DECREASE OF 26.3 PER CENT (FROM 893 TO 658) IN THE NUMBER OF PERSONS OF ALL AGES NEWLY REPORTED TO THE CADA IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1986 COMPARED WITH THE SAME PERIOD IN 1985.

THE NUMBER OF NEWLY REPORTED YOUNG PERSONS UNDER THE AGE OF 21 DECREASED BY 19.4 PER CENT, FROM 237 TO 191.

THE COMMISSIONER FOR NARCOTICS, MR GORDON MORTIMER, SAID THE GENERAL TREND SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 1984 HAD BEEN DOWNWARDS, AND THAT THERE MIGHT BE INDICATIONS THAT INROADS WERE BEING MADE INTO THE PROBLEM OF HEROIN ADDICTION.

+HOWEVER, IT IS STILL TOO EARLY TO DRAW ANY FIRM CONCLUSIONS,

HE SAID.

HE ALSO REPORTED THAT THE NUMBER OF PERSONS PROSECUTED FOR MAJOR AND MINOR DRUG OFFENCES HAD INCREASED BY 8.3 PER CENT, FROM 2 825 TO 3 060, IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1986 COMPARED WITH THE SAME PERIOD IN 1985 BUT PROSECUTIONS OF YOUNG PERSONS UNDER 21 SHOWED A DECREASE OF 3.6 PER CENT, FROM 281 TO 271.

+ ADMISSIONS OF DRUG ADDICTS TO TREATMENT PROGRAMMES, ESPECIALLY OF YOUNG PEOPLE, HAVE DECREASED WHILE THE NUMBER OF PERSONS UNDER TREATMENT AND AFTERCARE HAD INCREASED, MR MORTIMER SAID.

WITH REGARD TO DRUG SEIZURES, THE MEETING NOTED THAT A TOTAL OF 120 KILOGRAMS OF ILLICIT OPIATES, MAINLY NO. 3 AND NO. 4 HEROIN AND 53 KILOGRAMS OF CANNABIS AND CANNABIS RESIN WERE SEIZED IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1986.

THE CHAIRMAN OF ACAN, PROFESSOR GERALD CHOA, ACKNOWLEDGED THE SUCCESS OF THE ANTI-NARCOTICS VARIETY SHOW HELD AT THE HONG KONG COLISEUM RECENTLY TO LAUNCH THE 1986-87 ANTI-NARCOTICS CAMPAIGN,

THE ANTI-NARCOTICS MESSAGE REACHED MORE THAN 6 000, MAINLY YOUNG PEOPLE, WHO ATTENDED THE SHOW AND AN ESTIMATED THREE MILLION TELEVISION AUDIENCE.

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