THE WRONG MESSAGE

THE Bracks Government's decision to adopt the Penington committee
recommendations for the trial of five state-sanctioned injecting rooms
for heroin users is an unjustifiably risky venture into the unknown.

While this controversial social experiment might tidy up the streets
and save some lives, most Victorians have reason to be deeply
concerned that this is no less than an official sanctioning of heroin
use. It is a cliche, but no less true, to repeat the warning that it
will send the wrong message to young people tempted to embark on
heroin's downward path.

There is common ground between those for and against injecting rooms:
we need urgently, but have yet to find, an effective solution to the
heroin problem. Nonetheless, this does not justify taking an easy
option which in fact facilitates the evil we are trying to stamp out.

Legislation to allow injecting rooms will lie on the table of the
parliament until the spring session to allow discussion. There will be
time to ask crucial questions.

Not the least is whether addicts will use the rooms if they are hidden
away discreetly in remote urban locations.

Another pertinent question is what role the police will have in
controlling the drug peddlers who, overseas experience suggests, may
gather around the rooms like flies around something rotten.

Then again, when are the authorities and the courts going to get
serious about the major drug dealers-particularly in locking them
away for a very long time? Some might argue that this is one instance
where mandatory sentencing could be totally justified.

Many Victorians will hold the view that sanitising the results of this
evil trade as the committee's recommendation does, is a surrender by
society.