EVERY VIEW ON MISUSE OF DRUGS PRESENTED EVERY POSSIBLE WAY

FOR WHAT is essentially a health problem, heroin addiction is remarkably
controversial. For example, one need only see how the proposed supervised
heroin-injecting room was nobbled recently in the Legislative Assembly.

The controversy spans discussion on the Iniernet too, plenty of groups
using the medium to disseminate their views, provide information or promote
discussion.

Lingering for a moment on injecting rooms: the best places to look for such
information are at either the Australian Drug Foundation's injecting-room
page (http://www.adf.org.au/injectingrooms/), or the Lindesmith Centre's
online library entry on injecting rooms
(http://www.lindesmith.org/library/injection_index.html).

From here one can find links to a wide range of research about these
facilities.

The injecting-room controversy illustrates the major point of contention of
opinion on heroin: how does society best prevent it from damaging the
health of individuals and the community?

Some recommend complete prohibition, using the reasoning that if nobody
takes heroin, nobody suffers because of it.

One site that takes this approach is Drug Watch International
(http://www.drugwatch.org/), which has published plenty of articles
supporting prohibitive practices. One that is somewhat relevant to current
events is written by a Sydney barrister, listing a number of reasons why
safe injecting rooms are flawed
(http://www.drugwatch.org/Documents/DWRG01.html).

However, there are several hundred overdoses in the ACT each year, which
lead others to suggest that prohibition is ineffective.

Arguably, action must be taken to minimise the harm done to users. Two
Australian organisations advocating this position include the Australian
Drug Law Reform Foundation (http://home.vicnet.net.au/~adlrf/) and its
associate, Family and Friends for Drug Law Reform
(http://home.vicnet.net.au/~adlrf/brief1.html).

The ADLRF has a page explaining its position on harm minimisation
(http://home.vicnet.net.au/~adlrf/brief1.html) outlining the
needle-exchange and methadone programs, and attacking prohibition.

For information on drugs generally, without so much of the propaganda,
Drug-Arm (http://www.drugarm.org.au/) is worth a hit, it has an informative
A-Z drug guide, as well as resources on, and links to, community
organisations and religious groups.

The site really emphasises education and support.

One should also not underestimate the interactive nature of the Internet.

The Heroin Pages (http://www.ncinternet.net/~zap/12a7b/heroin/) were set up
after a publication described one person's experimentation with the drug.

It sparked such discussion that the website was set up. The author invites
everyone to read and respond to his work.

Then there are Internet forums, The Addiction Treatment Forum
(http://www.atforum.com/) publishes news about addiction treatment, but
relies very much on patient participation.

It notes that its primary focus is on "opiate addiction and the benefits of
methadone treatment".

After all the propaganda and discussion, the Internet is a great utility
for "infotainment". Log on to The Opium Kings
(http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/heroin/) for an interesting
documentary on Burma's heroin trade.

Burma is the world's largest opium grower and, despite harsh penalties for
possession of and trade in heroin, business is booming.