TOLL NOT RISING, SAYS PRINCE

THERE had been 53 suspected opiate overdose deaths - mainly from heroin - in
WA in the year to the end of last month, Police Minister Kevin Prince told
the Legislative Assembly yesterday.

This compared with 59 at the same time last year, 47 the year before that
and 58 at the same time in 1997.

Figures for suspected overdose cases are used because those for confirmed
cases are usually not available until coronial inquiries are completed,
sometimes about two years later.

Mr Prince said the latest figure showed that WA's drug moves were working.

It was significant that the number of heroin overdoses in WA had plateaued
despite the increasing availability of the drug, he said.

And he welcomed this week's release of a position paper from Prime Minister
John Howard's advisory panel, the National Council on Drugs.

He said the paper picked up and effectively endorsed the effectiveness of
many successful elements of WA's drug policy, including promotion of
resuscitation training and the availability of the anti-overdose drug
narcan.

He said the WA Opposition condemned the State Government's drug strategy but
had none of its own.