NEW TACK NEEDED ON DRUGS: REPORT

War On Drugs

One of Australia's leading drug advisers, David Penington, yesterday
urged the Victorian Government to amend the law prohibiting the use of
illicit drugs such as heroin in an effort to encourage users to
dispose safely of their syringes.

But Dr Penington emphasised that the change, which would bring
Victorian legislation into line with Queensland and Western Australian
law, would not equate to decriminalisation and said it would make
little difference to the way police dealt with drug addicts.
Possession and trafficking of illicit drugs would remain a crime.

"No, it does not mean decriminali-sation, because you've got to be in
possession of a drug to use it," Dr Penington said last night. "But
the perception among users (at present) is that they can be arrested
if they are caught injecting, which encourages the rapid and unsafe
abandonment of equipment."

The proposal, to repeal the section of the Drugs, Poisons and
Controlled Substances Act that deals with administering drugs of
dependence, is among 59 recommendations in stage two of the Drug
Policy Expert Committee's report, handed to the State Government
yesterday. Dr Penington also urged Victoria to press ahead with
preparations for medically supervised heroin trials, even though Prime
Minister John Howard has ruled out a trial.

Dr Penington said he envisaged a change in Australia's political
climate, and wanted Victoria to lead the country in developing a
program that would provide heroin by prescription as a treatment for
opiate addiction "as soon as circumstances make this possible".

"The committee understands that this is controversial but firmly
supports such a trial," the report says. "Victoria should move to
prepare for a trial of heroin to treat opiate dependence so that when
it is possible to conduct this work, all the appropriate mechanisms
will be in place."

The idea of a heroin trial attracted bipartisan political support in
Victoria before Mr Howard vetoed attempts to set up a heroin
prescription program in the ACT involving 40 registered addicts.
Health Minister John Thwaites said Labor still supported the concept
but it was not on its immediate agenda, while Opposition Leader Denis
Napthine said the Liberal Party had previously signalled its approval
of an ACT-style heroin trial.

Dr Penington said: "I do believe that in due course it will be
essential for Australia to mount such a trial to learn how to manage
heroin treatment for the small group of heroin users for whom other
forms of treatment are not adequate. The Prime Minister has indicated
there will not be a heroin trial in Australia whilst he is Prime
Minister. I accept that but I do note that in fact a number of his
Cabinet colleagues took a different view."

The committee chairman also took a swipe at the Kennett government,
saying the heroin crisis would not have escalated so dramatically in
Victoria if all the recommendations in an earlier report - including a
campaign against excessive and hazardous use of cannabis and the
establishment of an independent body to oversee drug policy - had been
adopted.

The final report released yesterday focuses on drug prevention,
treatment and law enforcement. It calls on the Bracks Government to:

Strengthen existing methadone programs and subsidise the price of
methadone for addicts aged under 18, users to be subject to juvenile
justice orders and for adults in the first eight weeks of treatment.

Consider deferred or suspended sentences for people convicted of
previous drug-related crimes.

Encourage police and courts to show discretion when people use
cannabis for the relief of pain in the late stages of HIV/AIDS,
terminal cancer and some neurological conditions.

Set aside a proportion of new public and community housing for people
seeking to find a way back into the community while they deal with
their drug dependence.

A police spokesman last night declined to comment on the proposed law
change regarding the use of illicit drugs, saying he needed to read
the whole report.

Mr Thwaites said the government would respond to the proposals within
the next month, but said they were consistent with its general
direction on drug policy.