DEATH from drug-taking has increased dramatically over recent years. Statistics from public and private hospitals show the numbers rose from 41 in 1987 to 113 in 1989 to 139 in 1991. The number of individuals reported to the Central Registry of Drug Abuse fell consistently from 18,844 in 1984 to 15,207 last year. But in the first six months of this year the figure had hit 10,634. There are 9,250 addicts registered at Hong Kong's 23 methadone clinics.
