XN000022-1987-01-12 — Page 19

MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 1987

18

UN OPTIMISTIC ABOUT HK'S DRUG PROBLEM

*****

THE AVAILABILITY OF A RANGE OF TREATMENT PROGRAMMES, LINKED WITH AFTER-CARE SERVICES AND EXTENSIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMMES, SHOULD PROMOTE FURTHER PROGRESS IN THE REDUCTION OF DRUG ABÚSE IN HONG KONG, ACCORDING TO THE REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL NARCOTICS CONTROL BOARD (INCB) PUBLISHED IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA, TODAY (MONDAY).

THE INCB, A SPECIAL AGENCY OF THE UNITED NATIONS, ACKNOWLEDGED THE SIGNIFICANT ROLE PLAYED BY NON-GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS IN HONG KONG IN COMBATING DRUG ABUSE.

THE REPORT SAID THAT HONG KONG REMAINED A TRANS-SHIPMENT POINT FOR TRAFFICKING BUT NOTED THAT INTENSIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS BEING APPLIED AND LARGE SEIZURES OF HEROIN HAD BEEN MADE RESULTING IN LOCAL PRICE TO RISE.

+HEROIN ABUSE APPEARS TO HAVE STABILISED, THE REPORT SAID, +WHILE THE ABUSE OF CANNABIS AND PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES, MAINLY METHAQUALONE, MAY BE ON THE INCREASE BUT IS NOT ESTIMATED TO BE CURRENTLY SIGNIFICANT.

+HOWEVER, DRUG WHOLESALERS ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT QUARTERLY RETURNS OF ALL LEGITIMATE IMPORTS OF PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES,+ IT SAID.

THE INCB ALSO RECORDED THAT OPIATE DRUGS CONTINUED TO BE SMUGGLED BY TRAWLERS INTO HONG KONG FROM THAILAND AND THAT BULK QUANTITIES OF CANNABIS WERE SMUGGLED FROM THE PHILIPPINES.

APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR ARTICULATED VEHICLE INSTRUCTORS' LICENCE

*****

THE TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT WILL ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FOR A NEW KIND OF DRIVING INSTRUCTORS' LICENCE — THAT FOR ARTICULATED VEHICLES - FROM WEDNESDAY (JANUARY 14).

ANNOUNCING THIS TODAY (MONDAY), A DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THE MOVE TO LICENSE DRIVING INSTRUCTORS FOR ARTICULATED VEHICLES WOULD TIE IN WITH THE EXPIRY OF THE THREE-YEAR TRANSITIONAL PERIOD STIPULATED IN THE ROAD TRAFFIC (DRIVING LICENCES) REGULATIONS.

DURING THE TRANSITIONAL PERIOD, HOLDERS OF THE +ALL 8OODS VEHICLES+ DRIVING LICENCE ISSUED BEFORE AUGUST 25, 1984 HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO DRIVE ARTICULATED VEHICLES.

/+WHEN THE