TNAG-0505-FCO40-570-Review-of-narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 177

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19, 1974

SINCE THE CENTRAL REGISTRY WAS ESTABLISHED TWO YEARS AGO, SOME 47,000 NAMES HAD BEEN REGISTERED.

MR. DAVIES ESTIMATED THAT ADDICTS' SPENDING ON DRUGS COULD AMOUNT TO $520 MILLION A YEAR -- ASSUMING EACH OF THEN SPEND $15 A DAY TO SUPPORT THE HABIT.

$1.5 MILLION A DAY

HE NOTED THAT OVER THE PAST YEARS MUCH TIME AND EFFORT HAD BEEN DEVOTED TO TACKLE THE VARIOUS FACETS OF THE DRUG PROBLEM BY THE GOVERNMENT, VOLUNTARY AGENCIES AND INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS.

FORWARD

+OPERATIONS AND PROJECTS HAVE BEEN DRIVEN FORWARD WITH GREAT ENTHUSIASM, DETERMINATION AND VICOUR BOTH IN THE FIELD OF LAU ENFORCEMENT, PUBLIC EDUCATION AND THE TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION OF ADDICTS, AND A HIGH DEGREE OF ORIGINALITY AND NEW THINKING HAS BEEN EVIDENT.

+BUT AS THE WHITE PAPER STATES, WHAT HAS BEEN DONE HAS ONLY CONTAINED THE PROBLEM, NOT REDUCED IT.

+BUT THAT AT LEAST IS SOMETHING,+ MR. DAVIES SAID.

REALISTIC TARGETS

IN SUPPORTING THE MOTION, THE SENIOR UNOFFICIAL MEMBER, THE HON. WOO PAK-CHUEN, SAID THE UNOFFICIALS WERE CONCERNED WITH THE IMPLICATIONS IN TERMS OF COST BUT FELT THAT IF HONG KONG IS TO TAKE THE QUESTION SERIOUSLY AS THE WHITE PAPER ENVISAGES THEN +THE COSTS IN TERMS OF STAFF, FACILITIES AND CURATIVE METHODS MUST BE MET.

REALISTIC AND ADEQUATE TARGETS AND PROGRAMMES HAD TO BE DRAWN UP ON A COLONY-UIDE BASIS AS A MATTER OF URGENCY,, MR. WOO SAID, BUT HE WONDERED WHETHER LEGISLATION IMPOSING HEAVIER SENTENCES VOULD BE ENOUGH.

+TRAFFICKING IN DANGEROUS DRUGS, AS DISTINCT/FROM MERE POSSESSION,/SEEMS TO BE AN OFFENCE SO SERIOUS AND WITH SUCH AVFUL REPERCUSSIONS UPON OUR FELLOU HUMAN BEINGS THAT SURELY WE MUST TAKE SPECIAL STEPS TO ENSURE SEVERE PUNISHMENT INCLUD HAS LONG DETERRENT PRISON SENTENCES AND, IN SUITABLE CASES, CORPORAL PUNES/ANENT. +

WHILE HR. WOO AND HIS UNOFFICIAL COLLEAGUES WELCOMED THE STATEMENT OF GENERAL GOVERNMENT INTENT TO STOP ILLICIT DRUG TRAFFICKING AND RADICATE DRUG ABUSE FROM THE COMMUNITY, HE REGARDED THE WHITE PAPER AS MORE OF A STATEMENT OF INTENT+ AS IT DID NOT SPELL OUT IN DETAIL WHAT FURTHER STEPS WERE BEING PLANNED.

MORE, INFORMATION WAS NEEDED, HE FELT, ON FUTURE PLANS, NEW INITIATIVES AND EDUCATION MEASURES TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM. HE ALSO WANTED TO KNOW HOW SOON LEGISLATION COULD BE PUT FORWARD TO PROVIDE FOR PROPER CONTROL OF FACTORY-MADE DRUGS.

/COMPULSORY...............