XN000022-1987-04-07 — Page 3

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TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1987

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PSYCHOTROPIC DRUG ABUSE CLOSELY MONITORED

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IN

THE INCREASING PROBLEM OF PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCE ABUSE PARTICULAR MANDRAX, IS BEING MONITORED CLOSELY BY THE GOVERNMENT AND NECESSARY STEPS TO REDUCE THE SUPPLY AND DEMAND FOR THESE DRUGS ARE BEING TAKEN.

THIS WAS DISCLOSED BY THE COMMISSIONER FOR NARCOTICS, MR GORDON MORTIMER, AT A LUNCHEON MEETING TODAY (TUESDAY).

+ IN 1986, THERE WERE CLEAR INDICATIONS OF AN INCREASE IN THE ABUSE OF MANDRAX AND MARIJUANA BY YOUNG PEOPLE,+ HE SAID.

HOWEVER, THE SITUATION HAD BEEN REVIEWED BY THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS LAST YEAR AND SUITABLE PUBLICITY AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL WITH EMPHASIS ON MANDRAX AND MARIJUANA WAS BEING PREPARED.

+CARE MUST BE TAKEN NOT TO EXCITE CURIOSITY AND THEREBY ENCOURAGE EXPERIMENTATION IN THIS TYPE OF DRUG TAKING, HE SAID.

+THE SITUATION WITH REGARD TO THE ABUSE OF PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS HAS BEEN AND IS BEING CAREFULLY MONITORED BY THE NARCOTICS DIVISION,

+ON THE BASIS OF REPORTS TO THE CENTRAL REGISTRY OF DRUG ABUSE IN RESPECT OF INDIVIDUAL DRUG ABUSERS SURVEYS AMONG HEROIN ADDICTS ON THE TYPES OF DRUGS EVER ABUSED BY THEM; SURVEYS IN SCHOOLS SEIZURES OF ILLICIT DRUGS PROSECUTIONS i AND THE NUMBER OF DRUG ABUSE RELATED ADMISSIONS TO THE PSYCHIATRIC WARDS AND EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS OF HOSPITALS, THE ABUSE OF PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE AS SERIOUS A PROBLEM AMONG THE GENERAL POPULATION AS HEROIN IS,+ HE ADDED.

IN 1986, A TOTAL OF 273 745 TABLETS OF MANDRAX AND 34 KGS. OF MANDRAX POWDER WERE SEIZED.

+SOME OF THE MANDRAX IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN SMUGGLED FROM CHINA,+ HE SAID,

MR MORTIMER SAID THAT ALL REASONABLE STEPS WERE BEING TAKEN BY THE AUTHORITIES IN CHINA AND IN HONG KONG TO ERADICATE THIS SMUGGLING AND THAT CLOSE LIAISON AND CO-OPERATION WAS BEING MAINTAINED.

WHILE NOTING THAT THE JUDICIARY HAD RECONISED THE PROBLEM BY EQUATING THE SENTENCING LEVEL FOR MANDRAX CASES WITH THAT FOR OPIUM CASES, MR MORTIMER EMPHASISED THAT THE MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR UNLAWFULLY TRAFFICKING IN DANGEROUS DRUGS WAS LIFE IMPRISONMENT AND A FINE OF $5 MILLION.

HE SAID THAT A BILL PUBLISHED RECENTLY TO AMEND THE DANGEROUS DRUGS ORDINANCE WOULD MAKE IT EASIER TO PROSECUTE MANDRAX TRAFF ICKERS.

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