TNAG-0415-FCO40-461-Review-of-narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 68

4

SARDA uses the multimodality approach in treating drug depend- ents. An individual program for each drug dependent is developed. Methadone is used for both withdrawal and stabilization. We were impressed by the individuals running the program. However, the prob- lems they face in numbers and attitude is nearly overwhelming. Also, the governments latest thrust seems to be based on numbers not results. The Prison Drug Addiction Treatment Center is similar to our Narcotics Addict Rehabilitation Act (NARA). After a person has been convicted, the judge can remand him to the Commissioner of Prisons to determine if he is an addict and is "suitable" for treatment. If he is both an addiet and suitable for treatment, he will be confined in the Addiction Treatment Center for a minimum of 6 months and up to 18 months, followed by 12 months of aftercare.

Government facilities consist of the Tai Lam Addiction Treatment Center (capacity, 600 males). Ma Po Ping Addiction Treatment Cen- ter (capacity, 600 males), and Tai Lam Center for women (capacity, 100). The Ma Po Ping facility was opened for rehabilitation activity in January 1972, significantly expanding total government rehabilita- tion capacity.

Admissions to government facilities and releases each totaled ap- proximately 800 persons during 1970 and 1971. Admissions during 1972 significantly increased with the opening of the Ma Po l'ing facility. By the end of fiscal year 1972 (31 March 1972), 921 inmates had been admitted to government facilities during the year, and 763 released. By November 1972. Ma Po Ping alone held 680 inmates.

Seventy-six percent of the total prison population are addiets and 48 percent of those in the addiction center committed drug offenses. The prison drug program emphasizes readjusting the criminal addict and attempts to involve the family as much as possible. Meth- adone is not used for either withdrawal or stabilizing. Gardner, Com- missioner of Prisons, feels heroin is a social not medical problem. For the period 1958-68, the program had a 33-35 percent abstinence rate. Like all statistics, though, one wonders how hard the 33 to 35 percent really is.

Source

All officials acknowledged the fact that most of the opium or mor- phine base coming into Hong Kong comes from either Bangkok or the Gulf of Siam and is smuggled by Thai fishing trawlers. Sea-going junks from Hong Kong meet the trawlers at sea to take aboard the narcotics cargo for delivery into Hong Kong waters. Lesser quantities of opium and morphine base are smuggled into Hong Kong in cargo shipments and by merchant seamen and travellers.

Red China involvement

There is no indication that the People's Republic of China is a source of illegal narcotics coming to or through Hong Kong. A former Amer- ican missionary in China. now with SARDA, said that since 1965 not one addiet from China has appeared in Hong Kong. Prior to 1965 they arrived in droves. Arrests and seizures also evidence no Red Chinese involvement whatsoever in narcotics traffic in Hong Kong.

It was interesting to note the reaction of the Government oflicials regarding the "Chinese connection." They thought that such state-