DRUG VOTE TONIGHT FOR TWO COUNCILS

It is six months since the release of the latest Victorian drug policy
strategy and as local councils finalise their heroin policies, a leading
reform advocate last night took his campaign for a change in drug laws to
Warrnambool.

Three of the five Melbourne councils identified in the State Government's
Drug Policy Expert Committee report as areas of high drug use have
finalised their required local drug action plans. Two councils are yet to
complete their responses to the heroin crisis.

The Cities of Melbourne and Yarra will tonight vote to accept or make
changes to their draft drug plans. The City of Port Phillip, which includes
St Kilda, voted last month to proceed with a three-year strategy in its
suburbs affected by heroin use.

Maribrynong is expected to release a draft for public consultation late
this month and Greater Dandenong hopes to have its plan completed by the
end of the year.

The first stage of the government's drug policy report called on the
councils to consider conducting an 18-month trial of supervised injecting
facilities as part of their action plans. Although that move was stymied by
the state opposition parties, the drug plans of Port Phillip, Yarra and
Melbourne councils continue to advocate a trial.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the government's Drug Policy Expert Committee,
David Penington, last night said heroin deaths would continue to rise
unless new strategies to reduce demand and consumption were introduced.

Speaking at the annual meeting of the Western Region Alcohol and Drug
Centre in Warrnambool, Dr Penington said the Federal Government's policy of
relying on increased "drug busts" to limit the amount of heroin on the
streets had been a failure.

He said Australians should be allowed to grow small amounts of cannabis at
home to negate the large-scale criminal production of highly potent
hydroponic cannabis, but penalties for smoking it in public should be enforced.

He said those found under the influence of marijuana at school or work or
while driving a car should also be punished.

Dr Penington said heroin posed a far greater problem to Australian society
than marijuana.