TNAG-0690-FCO40-839-Review-of-narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1977 — Page 132

CONFIDENTIAL

INTERCEPTION OF LARGE SCALE SHIPMENTS IN RECENT YEARS HAS CREATED ACUTE SHORTAGES, ALBEIT RATHER SHORT TERM, BUT WE ARE CONTINUING TO GIVE THE FIGHT AGAINST THE IMPORTATION OF DANGEROUS DRUGS A VERY HIGH PRIORITY, THE QUANTITIES (IN KILOS) OF NARCOTICS SEIZED AND THE NUMBER OF PERSONS PROSECUTED OVER THE PAST 3 YEARS ARE:

1974

1975

1976

OPIUM

4,734

455

3,553

MORPHINE MIXTURE

323

132

291

HEROIN MIXTURE

261

186

164

PERSONS PROSECUTED

18,453

13,865

12,913

PERSONS PROSECUTED FOR MAJOR

OFFENCES 1.E. MANUFACTURE

AND TRAFFICKING

1,785

2,034

3,406

(6) AS STATED IN ANSWER (3) ABOVE, THE NUMBER OF DRUG ADDICTS HAS BEEN ESTIMATED TO BE IN THE REGION OF 80,000 TO 100,000. NEARLY ALL DRUG ADDICTS HERE ARE MALES. THERE IS NO (REPEAT NO) EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT THE NUMBER OF ADDICTS IS INCREASING. THERE IS

ENCOURAGING EVIDENCE THAT THE PROPORTION OF YOUNG PEOPLE TAKING DANGEROUS DRUGS HAS BEEN DECREASING, AS THE RESULT OF CONTINUED EFFORTS AT PREVENTIVE EDUCATION AND PUBLICITY AS WELL AS SUCCESS

IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. THE PROPORTION OF INMATES UNDER THE AGE OF 21, IN THE PRISONS DEPARTMENT'S DRUG ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTRES HAS

DROPPED FROM 25 PER CENT IN 1969 TO 9 PER CENT IN 1976. THE PROPORTION OF ADMISSIONS OF MALE PATIENTS UNDER THE AGE OF 19 FOR

VOLUNTARY TREATMENT BY THE SOCIETY FOR THE AID AND REHABILITATION OF DRUG ADDICTS (SEE ALSO ANSWER (7) BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS). HAS

ALSO DECLINED FROM 13 PER CENT IN 1969 TO 4 PER CENT IN 1976.

ADDICTS UNDER THE AGE OF 21 NOW REPRESENT ONLY 2.5 PER CENT OF

THOSE REGISTERED AT THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S METHADONE

MAINTENANCE AND DETOXIFICATION CLINICS, HONG KONG HAS, THEREFORE, NOW REACHED A POSITION WHERE IT CAN REASONABLY BE CLAIMED THAT

WE ARE CONTAINING THE OVERALL PROBLEM AND ACHIEVING SOME SUCCESS

IN PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF DRUG ABUSE, PARTICULARLY TO YOUNG

PEOPLE.

སྐྱ

3.

CONFIDENTIAL

/ (7) THE HONG KONG