DIVERSE ATTACK NEEDED: EXPERT

Australia is a leader and prepared to be radical in its approach to drug
and alcohol problems, according to a youth counsellor.

AUSTRALIA was taking radical approaches to treating drug and alcohol
problems, a youth counsellor has said.

Bunbury drug and alcohol counsellor Amie Frewen said needle exchange
programs, cannabis cautioning trials and safe injecting rooms were radical
ideas but so far were proving successful.

Her comments followed the call this week from the head of expert the
Anglican Church in Australia, Archbishop Peter Carnley, for testing of safe
injecting rooms and heroin prescription programs.

Ms Frewen, the coordinator of a drug and information counselling service,
is the keynote speaker at the fourth annual Local Drug Action Group
conference starting tonight.

Ms Frewen said she supported a broad range of strategies and safe injecting
rooms were just one of those.

"I do think that's one option we can go with," she said. "It's not the
be-all and end-all.

"Australia is doing quite well. We are almost radical and unique in our
approaches."

Ms Frewen said the community should not limit itself to one type of
treatment for drug abuse problems.

"Nobody has the answers, all we have are possible solutions," she said.

"I do not think we should limit ourselves to a solution to such a big problem."

She said drug and alcohol problems among youth was growing but the
community needed to see addiction as a health problem not a criminal one.
Ms Frewen said substance abuse problems among young people could be
attributed to pessimism.

"A lot of them are not happy with their lifestyles and this is what they
are using as a solution to their life-styles," she said.

"It's a solution albeit not very functional."

Ms Frewen developed and coordinates a counselling service which provides
help to young people with drug and alcohol problems from Bunbury to Augusta.

The 23-year-old was the winner of this year's WA Citizen of the Year Award
in the youth leadership category and was also named Young Australian of the
Year in the regional development category.

She said community groups, such as the network of Local Drug Action Groups,
had a vital role to play in dealing with drug and alcohol problems.

The Local Drug Action Group conference will be held over two days, with the
theme, Partnerships with Youth.

The conference will be opened by Acting Chicf Justice Geoffrey Kennedy.