XN000022-1990-06-26 — Page 3

TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 1990

- 2 -

HK HAS MUCH TO BE PROUD OF IN FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS

HONG KONG HAS MUCH TO BE PROUD OF IN ITS FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS, THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, SAID TODAY (TUESDAY).

"WE

HAVE HALTED THE GROWTH OF HEROIN ABUSE. THE NUMBER OF NEW ADDICTS HAS DECREASED BY NEARLY 40 PER CENT SINCE 1985," HE SAID.

SIR DAVID WAS SPEAKING AT A CEREMONY TO COMMEMORATE THE SILVER JUBILEE OF THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS (ACAN) AND THE INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST DRUG ABUSE AND ILLICIT TRAFFICKING.

THE GOVERNOR SAID IT WAS ENCOURAGING TO HEAR THAT HONG KONG WAS SEEING A STEADY DECLINE IN THE NUMBER OF ADDICTS

FROM 100,000 IN THE EARLY 1970'S TO 40,000 NOW.

HE SAID THAT A GREAT DEAL OF CREDIT FOR THIS MUST GO TO THE PATIENT EFFORTS OF THE ACTION COMMITTEE, ADDING THAT IT HAD NOW IN THE

OUR FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS FOR A FOREFRONT OF

QUARTER

CENTURY.

BEEN

OF

A

HOWEVER,

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE BATTLE AGAINST DRUGS WAS

FAR

FROM OVER.

SIR

PEOPLE

"40,000 ADDICTS IN THE TERRITORY IS STILL 40,000 TOO MANY," DAVID SAID, ADDING THAT THERE WERE INDICATIONS THAT MORE YOUNG WERE ABUSING PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES.

"THE DANGER ALREADY THERE IN DRUG ABUSE HAS BEEN MULTIPLIED MANY TIMES OVER BY THE DANGER OF SPREADING AIDS THROUGH CONTAMINATED INJECTION NEEDLES, HE SAID.

"

SIR DAVID ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS WAS NOT A BATTLE THE GOVERNMENT COULD WIN ON ITS OWN.

"YOUNG PEOPLE OFTEN START TAKING DRUGS PARTLY OUT OF CURIOSITY AND PARTLY FROM AN INABILITY TO RESIST PEER PRESSURE, SIR DAVID SAID.

||

THE GOVERNOR SAID PARENTS, TEACHERS AND THE WHOLE COMMUNITY HAD FOR TO WORK TOGETHER TO PROTECT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE, AND THE GOVERNMENT, ITS PART, WOULD CONTINUE TO PUBLICISE THE DANGERS OF DRUG ABUSE AND TO ENCOURAGE ADDICTS TO SEEK TREATMENT.

"BUT WE RELY ON ALL OF YOU, ON PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE ΤΟ IMPRESS ON OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THE VALUE OF GOOD HEALTH AND STAYING DRUG-FREE. DRUGS ARE EMPHATICALLY NOT FUN."

SIR DAVID

SAID THE GOVERNMENT ALSO NEEDED TO DO WHATEVER COULD TO HALT THE SUPPLY OF DRUGS.

"IN THIS,

WE OWE MUCH TO THE POLICE, THE CUSTOMS SERVICE, AND THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION.

**THEY HAVE ACHIEVED REAL SUCCESSES IN TRAFFICKING LOCALLY AND OVERSEAS, HE SAID.

14

CURBING

/LAST YEAR

IT

AND EXCISE

ILLICIT DRUG