ANTI-DRUG POLICIES HAVE FAILED - UN

A HIGH-level UN committee has condemned Australia's $500 million
anti-drug effort for failing to curb abuse and trafficking and making
illicit drug abuse more socially acceptable. In a damning assessment of
Australia's harm minimisation strategy, the International Narcotics
Control Board says it has failed to reduce drug abuse and trafficking
over the past decade.

It warns that promoting an all-in strategy combining the fight against
legal drugs such as alcohol and tobacco with illicit drugs leads to
illicit drug use becoming more "socially acceptable".

The report also condemns efforts by some states and the ACT to
establish legal heroin injecting rooms, warning such an approach "will
not contribute to the reduction of drug abuse and trafficking".

The report came as a plan to stage a heroin injecting room trial in
the ACT was yesterday effectively shelved until 2002.

It followed the breaking of a deadlock in the ACT parliament which
threatened to force the Carnell Liberal Government to an election.
Plans for supervised heroin injecting rooms in Melbourne and Sydney
have also been frustrated.

Kim Beazley appealed yesterday for heroin injecting rooms, legalised
heroin trials and the use of the anti-heroin drug Naltrexone to be
examined in an effort to look for innovative solutions to the problem.
But the Opposition Leader said governments had to continue to be
ruthless with drug pushers and traffickers.

"I'm a bit in the camp now of the people who say . . . I support the
task of keeping people alive," he said.

Health Minister Michael Wooldridge said last night the report praised
Australia's progress in the battle against illicit drugs.

"The board welcomed the Tough on Drugs Strategy and expressed
confidence in our comprehensive approach to the drug menace, an
approach that has combined law enforcement, education, treatment and
rehabilitation," he said.

Prime Minister John Howard is a strident opponent of both heroin
injecting rooms and legalised heroin trials.

The board's members visited Australia in April to conduct a review of
the nation's anti-drug strategies, with the report formally released
by Dr Wooldridge yesterday.

While saying harm minimisation policies had reduced certain harm
caused by drug abuse, such as HIV and hepatitis transmission, the
board said they could have had adverse effects on the social
acceptability and prevalence of illicit drug use.