TNAG-1710-FCO40-2386-Royal-visits-from-the-UK-to-Hong-Kong-1987 — Page 143

NARCOTICS MANAGEMENT

Annex D

"Regulation on the Management of Narcotics" issued by China's State

Council Stipulate that narcotics include (1) opium, including medical

opium, morphine, codein, and their preparations; (2) coca: cocaine refined from coca leaves and its preparations; (3) marijuana: Indian

marijuana and its preparations; (4) chemical synthetics such as dolant in,

phenadon, fentany and their preparations. Strict control has always

been the polocy of China in the management of narcotics. Narcotics are

supplied only for medical use in hospitals, research institutions and

for school teaching; illegal production, sales and abuse are banned.

Before 1949, there was an estimated total of 20 million victims of

opium and heroin addiction. Right after New China was founded, it

started a nationwide anti-narcotics drive. The government issued orders to ban the taking, selling, planting and privately keeping of opium,

morphine, heroin or other kinds of narcotics, and serious punishments

were given to violators. Local governments at all levels were required

to take measures to stop the malpractices within a fixed time. Measures

taken include 1) to mobilize the people into concerted action and use the combined force of government decrees and education; 2) to punish opium dealers severely and set opium on fire; 3) to ban the planting

of poppy and replant poppy farm with grain; 4) to force addicts to give

up by putting them in special places served with addiction stopping

drugs until they were free from addiction. The measure proved efficient

and by 1952 the opium scourge left over from the old society was elimi- nated. At the same time, medical narcotics were put under tight control. In 1950, the State Council issued a decree to have narcotics registered. In November 1950, the Ministry of Public Health promulgated the "Provi- sional Regulations on the Management of Narcotics" and its implementa- tion rules. It was revised and re-promulgated in September 1978, with implementation rules published in Februrary 1979. The regulations provide 1) Narcotics production and the source plant culture will be conducted by designated units under government supervision. The Public Health Ministry works out production plans which are not to be altered by producers. And sales and use without government approval are forbid- den. 2) Narcotics produced by pharmaceutical plants are to be purchased solely by the China's Medical Corporation and supplied to narcotics

marketing agents and medical units. 3) Hospitals with hospital beds or

able to do surgical operations may be supplied with a fixed amount of

narcotics with the approval of prefectural of municipal public health bureaus. 4) Doctors must observe medical principles and write out special