TNAG-0505-FCO40-570-Review-of-narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1974 — Page 63

RESTRICTED

Reference....

10

Mr Wotton (HKIOD

Wotton

K 245)

UNITED NATIONS FUND FOR DRUG ABUSE CONTROL

1. You asked for a note on the UN Fund for Drug Abuse Control.

2. The Fund, set up as a result of a US initiative, was established on 1 April 1971. It is supported by voluntary contributions from governments, and to a small extent by philanthropic foundations and private individuals. The UK has contributed three yearly pay- ments. of £50,000 since 1972, each amounting to around 2% of the total annual contribution. The United States is by far the largest contributor, contributing nearly 80% of the total income.

3.

The main object of the Fund is to help those countries which do not have sufficient resources to combat the production and consumption of narcotic drugs and their illicit traffic. Its purpose is to develop both short and long-term programmes to deal with all aspects of the problem, (the promotion of facilities for treatment, the setting up or expanding of research and training centres, crop substitution schemes etc), and to provide assistance in their execution. It works in close association with UN organisations and the specialized agencies on Narcotics matters.

4.

The Director of the Fund reports upon the Fund's activities to the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs and publishes information about it.

5. Mr Rolph, the Hong Kong Commissioner for Narcotic Drugs, said at this year's meeting of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs that it was believed that there were 100,000 opium or heroin addicts in Hong Kong representing 2% of the population and that Hong Kong was faced with the worst opiate addiction problem in the world.

As poppies are not grown in Hong Kong the enormous opium market was fed by illicit imports estimated at between 35 and 50 tons of opium per annum, the bulk being imported from the so called Golden Triangle.

6. As a result of the UNFDAC Country Programme for Thailand for the period 1972-76 and costing over US$1 million, a drastic change took place in Hong Kong. From 1973 the shortage of opium, previously imported from Thailand, increased prices enormously and forced large numbers of addicts to seek treatment and rehabilitation.

7. The Fund has also financed programmes in Hong Kong itself and is this year carrying out a scheme to evaluate the treatment of heroin addicts and to define more specifically the success or failure of treatment. cost of this is estimated at US$44,000.

2 September 1974

The

John Macgregor

M Macgregor UN Department

RESTRICTED