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(f)
(g)
Treatment programmes. organised by Christian fellowships were reputed to be very effective with a very low relapse rate. It was advocated that the strongthening of the patients' willpower and sympathetic encouragement were important factors. The importance of after-care was also emphasized.
Observers maintained that the Government treatment programmes should pay more attention to the psychological aspects of the patients' problems as the medical treatment was merely one part of the remedy. Rehabilitation and regaining of confidence and acceptance back in the community would require the attention of continuing and patient casework
offorts.
E.
F.
Public attitudes towards drug addicts
(a)
(b)
Grassroot respondents were more inclined to regard drug addiction as a self-inflicted disease and express little sympathy for addicts who, in their view, should be placed under compulsory treatment. Some oven suggested that drug addiction should be
made a criminal offence.
Well educated respondents did not regard drug addicts as criminals but rather as victims of unhealthy social conditions meriting public sympathy. In this connection, they suggested that the drug addiction treatment centres should be separated from the Prisons Department instead of being operated under its auspices as this tended to associate drug addicts with criminals and enhance the social stigma they suffered from.
Reactions to the Government's anti-narcotics publicity (a) Most respondents considered the Government's
publicity measures to have been useful in helping to promote the anti-narcotics campaign.
(b) However,
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