XN000022-1993-05-26 — Page 22

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 26, 1993

STEPPED UP ACTION AGAINST SOFT DRUG ABUSE

ENFORCEMENT ACTION HAS BEEN STEPPED UP TO DETER THE ILLEGAL THE SUPPLY AND TO DISCOURAGE THE MISUSE OF PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES, SECRETARY FOR SECURITY, MR ALISTAIR ASPREY, INFORMED THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

די

MAN-KWONG, ROUTINE

UP

IN A WRITTEN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY THE HON CHEUNG

SAID THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PLANNED TO STEP ASPREY INSPECTIONS OF ALL DRUG RETAIL PREMISES TO AT LEAST TWICE A YEAR.

MR

ACTION

THE ILLEGAL SALE OF DRUGS IS KEPT UNDER CONSTANT REVIEW BY

COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS, WHICH

ΤΟ RECOMMENDS ADMINISTRATION APPROPRIATE ACTIONS, INCLUDING LEGISLATIVE CONTROLS MORE SEVERE PENALTIES WHEN CIRCUMSTANCES SO JUSTIFY.

THE

THE OR

THE SECRETARY SAID ON THE ADVICE OF THE ACTION COMMITTEE, 32 FOUND DRUGS OF THE BENZODIAZEPINE GROUP, AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET AND LIABLE TO ABUSE, HAVE BEEN CONTROLLED AS DANGEROUS DRUGS SINCE JANUARY 18 LAST YEAR.

IN RESPONSE TO INCREASING REPORTS ABOUT THE ABUSE OF COUGH MEDICINE, STRICTER CONTROLS ON THE SALE OF THIS MEDICINE, CONTAINING MORE THAN 0.1 PER CENT OF CODEINE

WERE OR DEXTROMETHORPHAN, RECOMMENDED BY THE COMMITTEE, AND HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED UNDER THE PHARMACY AND POISONS REGULATIONS SINCE JANUARY 1 THIS YEAR.

MR ASPREY SAID SIX DEATH CASES INVOLVING FATAL DOSAGES OF BUT PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, NO BREAKDOWN BY AGE WAS AVAILABLE FOR THE CASES CONCERNED.

HE SAID REGULAR INSPECTIONS WERE CONDUCTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH OFFICIALS AT REGISTERED CLINICS AND MEDICINE DEALERS.

IN 1990, 6,292 INSPECTIONS WERE MADE. THE CORRESPONDING NUMBERS FOR 1991 AND 1992 WERE 6,271 AND 5,624.

TEST PURCHASES ARE ALSO MADE TO ARE CONTRAVENING THE LAW.

ASCERTAIN IF THESE VENUES

IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, THE NUMBER OF TEST PURCHASES MADE were 489, 105 AND 431 RESPECTIVELY.

SUBSEQUENTLY, 22 PROSECUTIONS WERE MADE IN 1990, 17 IN 1991 AND FIVE IN 1992.

YEARS,

FOUR

WERE

FINED

THREE AMONG THE PROSECUTIONS BROUGHT IN THE PAST INVOLVED MEDICAL PERSONNEL; THREB MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS PROSECUTED IN 1991 AND FINED $7,000, $15,000 AND $30,000 RESPECTIVELY;

MEDICAL ONE

PRACTITIONER WAS PROSECUTED

AND YEAR

AND $2,000.

LAST

THESE CASES WERE REFERRED TO THE DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS.

MEDICAL COUNCIL FOR

/TWO CASES