THE ONLY SOLUTION TO THE DRUG PROBLEM

THE CANBERRA TIMES in recent weeks has spelt out a sad litany of Canberra
drug problems including drug overdoses, drug deaths, drug wars and the
increase in "party" drug usage. On Sunday, March 12, there were two
front-page articles: the first highlighted the "chronic drug culture among
the city's youth" and the second covered the despair of families trying to
cope with drug users and noted "more young people than ever before are
turning to drugs". It is the harm-minimisation philosophy (and its
parallel-message of drug acceptability), which is contributing to this
tragedy. Its advocates are not particularly interested in alternatives such
as naltrexone, "saying no to drugs", "drug proofing your kids" or "making
illicit drugs socially unacceptable". Further, most harm-minimisation
advocates, including Robert Macklin (CT, March 11, p.C3) will give no
credit to Australian Churches for their excellent work with young people.
Meanwhile, our Minister for Health hands out 1600 needles and 40 litres of
methadone every day and proposes heroin-shooting galleries. These are less
than the "ambulance at the bottom of the cliff": they are more the
"elevator back to the top". The only real solution for the drug tragedy
will be based on stopping people starting and helping those who have
started, to stop.

John E. Miller, National secretary, Australian Christian Coalition