ENG-1984 — Page 188

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HEALTH

when taken in its oral form. The drug precipitated withdrawal symptoms in subjects suffering from chronic heroin addiction and this made the drug unacceptable to them.

Preventive education and publicity play an important part in Hong Kong's fight against drug abuse. Work in this area is focused on heightening public awareness of the dangers of drug abuse, promoting community involvement in tackling the problem, dissuading young people from experimenting with drugs or becoming involved in drug crime, and encouraging addicts to come forward for treatment.

Four district campaigns with community involvement were held in 1984. Among the events organised to drive home the anti-narcotics message were concerts, variety shows, sports tournaments, fun fairs, film shows and exhibitions, as well as competitions in essay writing, poster and slogan design, painting, and singing.

The major territory-wide event of the year was the Students Against Drugs Movement, launched in October, in which more than 1 000 secondary students took part. This project consisted of a series of competitions: poster and slogan design, essay and lyric writing, telematch, singing, and exhibition stall design. Quizzes were also held. All these activities were aimed at educating young people on the dangers of drug abuse.

In 1984, a school talks team was formed in the Narcotics Division of the Government Secretariat to give drug education talks to students aged between 12 and 15 at secondary schools throughout the territory. A total of 55 000 students in 108 schools attended.

The Youth Against Drugs Scheme ran for the fourth year. It helped 20 groups of young people to plan and implement 39 anti-narcotics promotional activities. The 50-member ACAN Youth Volunteer Group, which was established in 1981 with a view to training and encouraging young volunteers to play an active part in anti-narcotics work, participated in the four district campaigns and organised various community involvement activities. The Drug Education Liaison Centre also organised anti-narcotics training and education for young people, parents, teachers, students, social workers, scout leaders and voluntary organisations. The centre produced a range of anti-drug publications during the year, as well as films and slides, and handled requests from the public for information on drug abuse.

To support these activities and publicise the anti-narcotics message, television and radio newsclips and dramas, films, posters and leaflets were produced.

During the year, the Drug Abuse Telephone Enquiry Service received 2 025 enquiries from both addicts and non-addicts. Most enquiries were related to drug addiction treatment facilities.

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Externally, Hong Kong continued to play an active and important part in international anti-narcotics operations by maintaining close links with the United Nations, inter- government agencies such as the Colombo Plan Bureau and Interpol

and with individual governments in Southeast Asia, Europe and North America. Hong Kong took part in 11 international meetings concerned with anti-drug law enforcement, treatment and rehabilitation, and preventive education. Hong Kong also made its 10th annual contribution of $100,000 to the United Nations Fund for Drug Abuse Control in support of its world-wide anti-narcotics efforts. These include the opium poppy crop-substitution programme in the 'Golden Triangle' on the borders of Burma, Laos and Thailand which area is the source of most of Hong Kong's opiate drugs.

The techniques and methods employed by Hong Kong in its anti-narcotics work have made it an important venue for training anti-narcotics personnel from overseas. In 1984, 158 anti-narcotics officers from various countries came to Hong Kong on study visits and training courses, either through bilateral arrangements with their governments or under the sponsorship of a United Nations body such as the World Health Organisation or the