XN000022-1993-01-18 — Page 3

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MONDAY, JANUARY 18, 1993

"WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO KNOW TO WHOM TURN TO WHEN THEY ARE IN DISTRESS AND A UNDERTAKEN BY THE COMMISSION, MR LI SAID.

MOST YOUNG PEOPLE WOULD STUDY INTO THAT WILL BE

"IF THAT CAN BE IDENTIFIED, WE CAN STRENGTHEN OUR PUBLICITY

IN

A MORE SPECIFIED DIRECTION AND ΤΟ ENHANCE THE EXISTING SYSTEM OF SUPPORT, HE ADDED.

"

AS THE MEDIA HAVE AN IMPORTANT INFLUENCE ON YOUTHS, MR LI SAID A SEMINAR WOULD BE ORGANISED TO EXPLORE HOW MEDIA COULD PLAY ROLE IN COUNTERING THE PROBLEM AND TO CULTIVATE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE, AMONG YOUTH, TO LIFE.

AS TO THE PROBLEM OF ALCOHOL ABUSE BY YOUNG PEOPLE, MEMBERS WERE CAUTIOUS AS TO WHETHER A BAN ON THE SALF OF THESE DRINKS TO THOSE UNDER 18 SHOULD BE RECOMMENDED.

MR LI SAID: "SO FAR THERE IS VERY LITTLE DATA ON ALCOHOL ABUSE BY YOUNG PEOPLE, ALTHOUGH DRINKING APPEARS TO BE A RISING TREND AMONG YOUNGSTERS.

"IN VIEW OF THIS, THE COMMISSION FEELS THAT A TOTAL BAN ON THE SALE OF ALCOHOL. WAS NOT JUSTIFIED AT THIS TIME.

INSTEAD, THE COMMISSION BELIEVES IT WOULD BE MORE APPROPRIATE TO CONDUCT A SURVEY TO ASCERTAIN THE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM BEFORE PUTTING FORWARD ANY CONCRETE PROPOSALS WHICH WELL CORRESPOND ΤΟ THE SIZE OF THE PROBLEM.

IN THE MEANTIME, THE COMMISSION HOPED THAT PUBLICITY TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF EXCESSIVE DRINKING ALSO BE STEPPED UP.

WOULD

THE COMMISSION SENS MERIT IN ASKING THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS TO UNDERTAKE THIS TASK.

THE COMMISSION WILL ALSO WRITE TO THE JUDICIARY, THE POLICE AND THE TWO MUNICIPAL COUNCILS TO REFLECT THE PUBLIC CONCERN OVER THE ISSUE AND TO ASK THEM TO POSITIVELY ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM.

MR L1 SAID: "THE COMMISSION WILL MONITOR THE SITUATION CLOSELY AND KEEP THIS UNDER REVIEW.

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