ALCOHOL OFF TALKS AGENDA

THE State Government's promised drugs summit will not deal with the drug
that some experts say causes most problems - alcohol.

Health Minister Bob Kucera said yesterday the summit would deal with
illegal drugs - not legal ones such as alcohol or solvents. WA had enough
problems with drugs such as heroin, amphetamines, ecstasy and cannabis. Mr
Kucera said he expected next month to start calling for public submissions
for the summit, which would probably run for a week between July and
September. It would cover the gamut of illicit drug issues - including
supply, use, rehabilitation, overdoses and crime.

"All bets are off, we are prepared to listen to any innovative solutions
that will come out of the community," he said.

"If we get a mandate from the community for particular issues then from
that the action will flow. I would want things to flow almost immediately
from the summit and the experience in both New South Wales and Victoria
(suggests) that won't be difficult."I've had 35 years of talkfests and I
don't agree with them. So if it's going to be a community summit it's going
to be an action summit."

WA Network of Alcohol and Other Drug Agencies director Jill Rundle
congratulated the Government for hiring an independent secretariat to plan
the summit. But she said excluding legal drugs and substances like alcohol
and tobacco would be a grave mistake.

Ms Rundle said alcohol and tobacco caused the most harm and illegal and
legal drug use issues could not be easily separated. Dealing with both
together would provide the perfect chance to raise public awareness of
legal drugs issues and reduce costs for seeking separate community feedback
on legal substances.

WA Substance Users"Association manager Tamara Speed said the summit should
cover all drugs, not just further stereotype and marginalise illicit drug
users.

Ms Speed said the summit had to offer a chance for illicit drug users to be
heard, rather than for other people to talk about drug users"needs. The NSW
Government drugs summit in 1999 had not given users enough say.

The NSW summit recommended reforms including a trial of safe injecting
rooms, removing jail terms for personal use of cannabis and decriminalising
self-administration of drugs.