OUR DRUG POLICY NEEDS AN INJECTION OF IDEAS

The push by Major Brian Watters to persuade the Government to introduce
mandatory drug testing in the workplace (Herald, March 20) is an attempt to
move the national drug policy closer to the "war against drugs" policies of
the United States.

It is disappointing to see The Salvation Army take such a moralistic,
regressive stance.

His comments seem to be particularly aimed at denigrating the genuine
attempts to test alternative approaches to drug dependence, such as the
injecting room trials.

It is a stance that ignores the basic fact that the US is not winning its
drug war - far from it.

Aggressive drug testing and punitive responses have done little to stem the
tide of illicit drug use in North America and have contributed to that
nation's higher prevalence of HIV and AIDS.

Moreover, such policies tend to further stigmatise and marginalise drug
users, making it even harder to reach those people who need help.

Tracey Jarvis, Drug and alcohol counsellor, Stanmore.