PM BACKS SUMMIT ON DRUGS ZERO TOLERANCE

Supporters of the zero-tolerance approach to drugs have mounted a new
challenge to the NSW Government's drug law reform program by
organising a three-day alternative drug summit starting today.

The conference, convened by the Salvation Army's Major Brian Watters,
comes just days before the Uniting Church is expected to lodge its
formal application to operate the nation's first legal, medically
supervised heroin injecting room in Kings Cross.

Australian Drug Summit 2000 starts with the support of the NSW
Opposition Leader, Mrs Chikarovski, and a statement from the Prime
Minister.

In an open letter expected to be read this morning, Mr Howard will
reiterate his support for preventative approaches and congratulate
organisers for bringing together like-minded activists.

"It is vital that we work together to provide education, particularly
to young people, about the dangers of drugs, to provide treatment and
rehabilitation and to ensure we make available the necessary resources
and support for law enforcement agencies to stop drug traffickers," Mr
Howard's statement says.

The conference agenda will feature speeches from high-profile
opponents of harm minimisation strategies, including Mr BorjeDahl, a
Swedish anti-drug activist, and Ms Malou Lindholm, a former member of
the European Parliament and representative of the Swedish Greens.
(After trying a liberal approach, Sweden has swung towards a tough,
prohibitionist-style attitude to drugs). Many speakers also have
strong religious backgrounds and include Californian Pastor Sonny
Arguinzoni, a former heroin addict who says he escaped heroin
addiction through his religious conversion.

Australian speakers, all of whom support preventative policies and
strongly oppose liberalisation, include Dr John Anderson, who
describes himself as a consultant psychophysiologist and who has
campaigned for many years against categorising marijuana as a soft
drug.

Dr Anderson believes that marijuana has physiological effects on the
brain and is implicated in schizophrenia.

Major Watters says speakers will highlight preventative policies in an
effort to prevent further rises in drug use and reduce the existing
high level in Australia.

He said that between 1995 and 1998, the proportion of people 14 years
and over who had used illicit drugs had increased from 39 per cent to
46 per cent, while heroin use rose by more than 50 per cent, from 1.4
per cent in 1995 to 2.2 per cent in 1998.

"Clearly, these increases in use rates have a dramatic effect upon
individuals, parents, families, communities and the nation," he said.

"The increase in drug use in Australian communities is of great
concern. Summit 2000 will provide a positive forum to share policies,
ideas and practice in harm prevention strategies designed to decrease
existing use and prevent further use of drugs."

However, the conference has caused anxiety among many leading Sydney
medical drug and alcohol specialists as well as people working at the
coal face who argue the conference agenda is skewed and will not offer
a well-rounded approach.

The Rev Bill Crews, of Ashfield Uniting Church, said the agenda
disappointed him.

"All these people had a chance to have their say at a proper and
comprehensive drug summit last year. This is a reaction of the
conservatives, of the right wing, to try to provide publicity for an
unargued point of view. It is disappointing.

"Evidence shows us that an intolerant attitude increases the spread of
diseases like HIV, and just when we are calling out for a tolerant
attitude it is the voices of intolerance who are shouting the loudest."