XN000022-1988-08-17 — Page 7

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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17, 1988

"IT WAS USED IN 1 SMALL-SCALE SURVEY IN 1985, FURTHER DISCUSSED AND ACCEPTED BY THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS (ACAN) AT ITS 62ND MEETING ON DECEMBER 29, 1986, AND THEN PRE-TESTED IN MARCH 1987.

"SUBSEQUENT IMPROVEMENTS HAD BEEN MADE.

..

MR TONG SAID THE SURVEY, THE FINDINGS OF WHICH WERE PUBLISHED LAST MONTH, HAD NEVERTHELESS CONFIRMED THE EXISTENCE AND MEASURED ACCURATELY AS POSSIBLE THE SIZE OF THE PROBLEM AMONG STUDENTS.

AS

ABOUT 1.1 PER CENT OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS AND 2.8 PER CENT OF TECHNICAL INSTITUTES IN HONG KONG HAVE BEEN FOUND IN THE SURVEY TO HAVE ABUSED PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS, MAINLY MANDRAX, CANNABIS AND SECONAL.

"IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NOTHING LIKE AS SERIOUS AS HEROIN ADDICTION, MR TONG SAID.

to

"PUBLICITY HAS, IN FACT, BEEN STEPPED UP SINCE LAST YEAR THROUGH POSTERS, LEAFLETS, EXHIBITIONS AND TV AND RADIO ANNOUNCEMENTS OF PUBLIC INTEREST TO WARN YOUNGSTERS ABOUT THE DANGER OF ABUSING PSYCHOTROPIC DRUGS AND TO AROUSE PARENTAL AWARENESS.

"

"ADDITIONALLY, THE SCHOOL TALKS TEAM IN THE NARCOTICS DIVISION HAS INTENSIFIED ITS EFFORTS TO EDUCATE SECONDARY SCHOOL AND TECHNICAL INSTITUTE + STUDENTS ABOUT THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF THE DRUGS SO AS DISSUADE THEM FROM ABUSING OR EXPERIMENTING WITH ILLICIT SUBSTANCES.

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A REGULARLY-UPDATED DRUG EDUCATION TEACHING KIT WHICH COMPRISES AUDIO AND VISUAL AIDS, HAS ALSO BEEN PROVIDED FOR ALL SECONDARY SCHOOLS WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF STRENGTHENING DRUG EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS AND TO ASSIST TEACHERS IN EDUCATING THE YOUNGSTERS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF ILLICIT DRUGS.

"WITH SUPPORT FROM ACAN, THE FIRST COUNSELLING CENTRE FOR PSYCHOTROPIC DRUG ABUSERS, PS 33, HAS BEEN SET UP BY THE HONG KONG CHRISTIAN SERVICE EARLY THIS YEAR TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE то THOSE IN NEED.

"

ALL THESE MEASURES CLEARLY INDICATE THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS TAKEN POSITIVE STEPS TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO CLOSELY MONITOR THE SITUATION AND TAKE FURTHER ACTION WHEN NECESSARY.

"SURVEYS ON OTHER ASPECTS OF DRUG ABUSE ARE ALSO BEING

CONSIDERED.'

"

REGARDING THE REPORTS MADE TO THE DIVISION'S CENTRAL, REGISTRY OF DRUG ABUSE (CRDA), MR TONG SAID THE DOWNWARD TREND IN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF NEWLY REPORTED ABUSERS OF ALL TYPES

OF DRUGS, WHICH HAD BEGUN FROM 1984, CONTINUED.

/HOWEVER, THE