WARNING ON CUT TO DRUG PROGRAMS

CUTTING spending on heroin programs to tackle the growing popularity
of the amphetamine ice is "robbing Peter to pay Paul", a leading drug
prevention group has warned.

The Australian Drug Foundation said the $14 million ice prevention
and treatment program should come from new State Government spending
because reallocating heroin funding was a gamble with "unwelcome consequences".

Foundation chief executive Bill Stronach commended the initiative on
ice but said that while heroin deaths had decreased in recent years,
the gains might not be maintained.

He said new drugs were always going to be appearing: ecstasy a few
years ago and now ice. "We have to be careful we don't focus on one
drug at the expense of others. We are dealing with people who are
using drugs, rather than just the drugs themselves," Mr Stronach said.

The $14 million in funding will come from heroin education programs.
Heroin deaths have fallen from 186 in 2000-01 to 43 in 2005-06, while
last year there were 12 deaths from ice and amphetamines.

Premier Steve Bracks defended the decision to reallocate money for
the ice initiative, saying about $20 million would remain in heroin
programs and a "pre-emptive strike" on the ice problem was needed.

With heroin use significantly reduced, he said the Government was
directing resources to where they were most needed.

"Ice has got a foothold but it will also get bigger if we don't take
action," Mr Bracks said.

The Government has passed new laws making it illegal to own a press
for making pills. A new Amphetamines Taskforce has also been established.