PM URGES REDOUBLED DRUG EFFORT

Prime Minister John Howard yesterday called on the parents of middle
Australia to "redouble their efforts" to stop teenagers slipping into drug
addiction.

Launching the Federal Government's $27.5 million anti-drugs campaign, Mr
Howard said parents were the country's greatest resource in fighting drugs,
and "properly functioning, stable, united, loving families, whatever their
composition, are still the best antidote" against most of society's ills.

"The program seeks, quite unashamedly, to appeal to the families of
Australia, to share the burden, to play a part," he said. "It encourages
them to talk to their children."

The government hopes its drugs initiative, which includes shock-tactic
television advertisements that began last night, and brochures to six
million homes, will follow the successful road toll, anti-smoking and AIDS
strategies.

The Prime Minister advised parents to "frankly acknowledge" drug-taking of
their own if that had happened.

The government's "formative research" shows that 71 per cent of
15-to-17-year-olds said their parents could influence them not to use
drugs. But the research also found that only 35 per cent of parents said
they needed help in discussing illegal drugs with their children. Forty-two
per cent of parents admitted to having smoked marijuana.

Response to the campaign yesterday was cautious in its praise.

"It's going to stimulate or provoke discussion between parents and young
people, and that's incredibly valuable," said Australian National Drug and
Alcohol Research Centre spokesman Paul Dillon. "The information that is
provided in the booklet on drugs only tells one side of the story.

"If we're going to talk to young people effectively about drugs we need to
acknowledge the reasons they're attracted to them."

A drug policy expert, David Penington, said he had not yet seen the
advertisements but it was important to educate young people in particular
about the dangers of illicit drugs. "It is worthwhile bringing that home in
a stark and obtrusive way," he said.

The CEO of Odyssey House, David Crosbie, said the TV campaign was a good
first step, but would not make much of a difference in reducing drug-taking.

The director of the Centre for Harm Reduction, at the Macfarlane Burnet
Centre for Medical Research, Nick Crofts, said the ads would further
marginalise drug users. "I don't think they'll stimulate informed debate,"
he said. "What I think they'll do is reinforce prejudices and stereotypes."

The first stage of the campaign is aimed at parents of children aged eight
to 17. The second stage will be directed only at teenagers.