GET ADDICTS OFF DRUGS

ROB Moodie in his article (Herald Sun, July 17) points the way to why
injecting rooms really should be rejected, but there are more issues at
stake.

Our community demands policies from public figures and politicians that
solve problems, not push them under the carpet.

Injecting rooms simply transfer the drug problem from public view to
"isolated facilities", as Mr Moodie discovered in Frankfurt.

All humane policy options must have as their objective to get addicts
drug-free in the shortest possible time and to become normal contributors to
our society.

"Clean" syringes, "clean" injecting rooms and "clean" heroin maintain
addicts in their addiction and are the policy options which have failed in
the past.

Overseas injecting rooms facilitate and legalise drug pushers and drug
cartels because the addicts or the injecting room operators buy the heroin
from pushers.

The Australian Family Association representing families, some of which have
been devastated by drugs, supports new and proven policies that provide
court-ordered detoxification followed by effective rehabilitation to get
addicts drug-free permanently.

This is a policy not tried in Victoria, but one that has proven effective
elsewhere.

Clearly, drug-free people do not die from overdoses or commit crimes to feed
their habit.

Victoria needs effective policies that get addicts drug-free quickly and
permanently, reduce the number of addicts, reduce drug related crime and
punish drug pushers and cartels.

Hopefully the Liberals, Nationals and Independents will listen and fight for
a new direction for our community.

David Perrin, vice-president, Australian Family Association