XN000022-1987-03-21 — Page 4

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SATURDAY, MARCH 21, 1987

MR MORTIMER SAID HE WAS PLEASED TO NOTE THAT THE NUMBER OF PERSONS OF ALL AGES NEWLY REPORTED FOR ABUSING DRUGS HAD STEADILY DECLINED SINCE 1984.

+HOWEVER, RECENTLY WE BEGAN TO SEE A RISING TREND IN THE ABUSE OF PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES, HE SAID.

LAST YEAR, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE QUANTITY OF MANDRAX SEIZED WITH 270 000-ODD MANDRAX TABLETS AND 34 KILOGRAMS OF MANDRAX POWDER.

MOREOVER, IN 1986.

IN 1986, 174 OF THE 260 PERSONS REPORTED FOR MANDRAX ABUSE WERE UNDER THE AGE OF 21, INDICATING 67 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL NUMBER REPORTED.

ALTHOUGH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE REPORTED FOR ABUSING PSYCHOTROP IC SUBSTANCES WAS SMALL COMPARED TO THE NUMBER OF ACTIVE HEROIN ABUSERS, MR MORTIMER ASSURED THAT THE RISING TREND WAS NOT TO BE NEGLECTED AND THE GOVERNMENT WAS MONITORING THE SITUATION CLOSELY.

+MANDRAX IS ADDICTIVE AND DANGEROUS, HE STRESSED +AND IT CAN ALTER A PERSON'S BEHAVIOUR AND LEAD HIM OR HER INTO LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. +

ON THE DRUG ABUSE PROBLEM AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE, MR MORTIMER POINTED OUT THAT YOUNG PEOPLE COULD ONLY BE PERSUADED TO STAY AWAY FROM DRUGS AND BE SPARED THE AGONIES WHICH DRUG ABUSE COULD BRING THROUGH THE COMBINED EFFORTS OF THE GOVERNMENT AND PARENTS.

ORGANISED BY THE NARCOTICS DIVISION OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT, THE TWO-DAY FAMILY CAMP WAS ONE OF THE MANY PREVENTIVE ÉDUCATION AND PUBLICITY PROGRAMMES CARRIED OUT IN THE YEAR,

IN ADDITION TO GROUP DISCUSSIONS AND A SEMINAR FOCUSING ON THE THEME +TAKE CARE OF YOUR CHILDREN- DON'T LET DRUGS RUIN THEM, THE EVENT ALSO FEATURED SLIDE AND FILM SHOWS, EXHIBITIONS, TELEMATCH GAMES AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES.

THE FAMILY CAMP WHICH IS BEING HELD AT THE WU KWAI SHA YOUTH VILLAGE HAS ATTRACTED MORE THAN 450 PARTICIPANTS FROM FAMILIES IN THE CHAI WAN DISTRICT.