FREE NEEDLES MAKE ADDICTS, WARNS EXPERT

THE State Government is priming people to be drug addicts with a
needle programme that says drug use is acceptable, an international
expert has warned.

Swedish drug treatment specialist MaLou Lindholm predicted Australia
could fail a commitment with the United Nations, to reduce drug abuse
by 2008, because of such programmes.

Ms Lindholm, who will speak at a Brisbane drug forum today, said the
Government-funded programme which issues syringes and needles on
demand sent out a message that "drugs are acceptable as long as the
needles are clean".

"Nothing anywhere in the world shows needle exchange programmes have
any effect in decreasing new infections of HIV," Ms Lindholm said.
"The pollies are saying 'sorry a certain percentage of you will
destroy your lives while we try harm minimisation policies'."

However, Hepatitis C Council of Queensland programme manager Jeff Ward
said the Needle Availability Programme had reduced the incidence of
new hep-C infections and stopped a HIV epidemic in the general community.

"It has saved Australia millions of dollars in economic terms and even
more in human costs," Mr Ward said.

Queensland Intravenous Aids Association manager Bob Heaton said ending
the programme would be a disaster.

"You can twist figures and put spins on them but the programme has
been good for Queensland," Mr Heaton said.

Ms Lindholm and colleague Borje Dahl will speak at a forum, What About
Sweden, to be hosted today by Teen Challenge and DrugArm.