HELP THE ADDICTS

Last weekend I spoke at length to two mothers. One was from country NSW who
had two sons (aged 26 and 28) using heroin.

Last Christmas Eve she lost the eldest to an overdose on the streets of
Sydney. Since the death, the younger brother has been in a state of acute
depression.

Two weeks ago he left home to go to Kings Cross. She has been frantically
trying to locate him since, but she expects to lose him also.

The other mother lost her 27-year-old son exactly one year ago. He was
found in his boarding house room in Kings Cross five days after his death.
The mother has not stopped crying.

In the meantime, we see the potentially lifesaving Kings Cross injecting
facility trial thwarted by what I can only see as petty differences and
personal agendas.

We now have the Kings Cross Chamber of Commerce proposing that it run the
centre with the support of The Salvation Army (an organisation which is on
the public record as opposing the trial).

It would be funny if we weren't talking about young lives! The Uniting
Church has put months of work into the trial, has recruited expert staff to
establish and run the centre, and we now have the ridiculous situation of
further delays because certain people wish to take cheap political advantage.

Meanwhile, two to three people die each day in Australia as a result of
illegal drugs. Some of these lives could be saved if this centre was open.

If the trial starts in October (six months behind schedule) that's 500 or
600 lives lost.

On behalf of their families and friends, for God's sake let commonsense and
compassion allow the trial to go ahead as soon as possible.

Tony Trimingham,
Family Drug Support,
Chatswood.