'MIXED' MESSAGE THE RIGHT MESSAGE

IT'S TRUE that trialing a safe injecting facility sends a mixed message
(Injecting room a serious gamble: council, CT May 22). The message is that
while we would prefer people not to use injecting drugs and will do
everything to support them through the process of walking away from drugs,
we nevertheless value their lives enough to help them stay alive until they
are ready to make that journey. It would be useful if people entering this
debate first made themselves aware of the wide range of assistance that is
already available and further proposed for users before trying to belittle
the innovative approach being trialed. This is not a simplistic issue. The
ACT Legislative Assembly and especially the Health Minister, Michael Moore
are to be congratulated for working through the complexities in a mature
and highly consultative way.

Steve Erskine, President, AIDS Action Council of the ACT Inc Acton