DOCTORS BACK HEROIN TRIAL

Australian Medical Association president Kerryn Phelps today accused the
government of playing politics with heroin addicts' lives.

The National Crime Authority (NCA) has recommended considering a heroin
trial to strengthen the fight against the rising tide of organised drug
crime.

However, Prime Minister John Howard rejected the suggestion and said there
would not be a heroin trial in any state or territory while he was leader.

Dr Phelps said the time had come to consider all options in fighting drugs.

"I would like to think that this matter should be above politics,
unfortunately it is not," she told reporters.

"We are talking about the lives not only of the people who are unfortunately
addicted to heroin but we are talking about their families and their
communities.

"Nobody is immune from the problems related to heroin dependency."

Political courage was needed to succeed in the fight against drugs, but it
was a rare commodity, especially in the lead-up to an election, Dr Phelps
said.

"I believe that our politicians really have a responsibility to listen to
what the NCA has to say and to take the matter in hand and say 'yes we will
try it'," she said.

"If the crime authority is saying that this is something that we should try,
if the medical profession and the experts involved in drug dependence are
saying this is something we should try, then I believe it is the
responsibility of government, both sides of government, to take a look at
this as an option and give it a go."

A heroin trial would help people who were unsuccessful in methadone
management, as well as those who had tried everything else and still kept
going back to heroin.

"What we believe that prescribed heroin trials will achieve is a reduction
in the criminal justice implications of using heroin and a reduction in the
community damage caused by burglary, stealing of cars, and violence related
to drug crime," Dr Phelps said.