OPEN FAMILY ATTACKS AGE BAN

MELBOURNE: The Welfare group, Open Family, has criticised the Victorian
Government's plans for heroin injecting rooms as useless for helping youths
tackle a drug problem.

Open Family youth worker Jim Markovski today said his organisation was
disappointed by the government's decision to ban people under the age of 18
from the injecting rooms.

"The safe injecting rooms will be pointless in helping young people in
Melbourne as they will not be able to gain access to the safe injecting
rooms," he said.

"Refusing entrance to young people under the age of 18 at safe injecting
facilities is disempowering our young people who are often disenfranchised
within our community.

"These young people will be discouraged to attend these facilities in the
future if they are excluded."

Overall, Open Family today approved of the rooms as a positive step in
allowing heroin users to inject in a safe environment and receive ongoing help.

The government is planning an 18-month trial of five heroin injecting rooms
in suburban Melbourne, with the initiative expected to be under way later
this year.