TNAG-0417-FCO40-463-Review-of-narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 50

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APPENDIX 'B'

or heroin. Not being easily soluble in water it is not readily absorbed by the human body and thus is not in itself a drug of abuse in Hong Kong. In view of the minimal amount of morphine abuse here there is no requirement to consider legalising the sale and consumption of the drug outside the medical sphere.

Opium

The

5.

The world licit production of opium is in the order of

1,500 tons annually and about as much again is believed to be grown illicitly. Most licit opium is used to manufacture medicinal opiates, in particular morphine which in turn is now mostly converted into other substances, chiefly codeine. illicitly grown opium is either consumed by those who cultivate it, or finds its way into the illicit traffic to become a drug of abuse elsewhere either in opium form or as one of its derivatives, notably heroin. It is a commonly held belief amongst certain sections of the community, and one often expressed, that a pipe of opium is no worse in its effect than a glass of whisky soda. There appears to be a general feeling abroad that while heroin abuse is not to be tolerated because

of its deplorable consequences, moderate opium smoking can be equated with the social imbibing of alcoholic drinks and is not very harmful. This attitude is reflected in the punishments meted out by the Courts in Hong Kong, convictions for heroin offences attracting more severe sentences than those for opium which in the ordinary run of cases tend to be more nominal than

deterrent or corrective.

6.

It is difficult to condemn opium smoking on purely medical grounds. Although the drug is addictive with a high degree of tolerance, nevertheless inhaling it is not harmful in itself to the normal functioning of the human body. This

cannot be said for consuming too much alcohol on a regular basis.

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