INCB OPINION ON ILLEGALITY OF INJECTING ROOMS

Sir,

I sit in great wonderment at times, trying to rationalise decisions made by
our State Government.

To approve a safe injecting room at Kings Cross when the best possible
advice from around the world says no, it just shows how much influence the
drug culture has on our State.

Read what the president of the United Nations International Narcotics
Control Board had to say about safe injecting rooms.

I quote from the letter received by parliament on November 17, 1999:

"The International Narcotics Control Boad considered carefully the question
of whether 'medically supervised injection rooms' or so-called 'shooting
galleries', including the explanation of the proposed facility in the State
of NSW as explained by Mr Della Bosca, are consistent with the international
drug control conventions. This letter contains the conclusions of the board,
and I transmit them to you as the permanent representative of the Government
of Australia to the United Nations in Vienna.

"The board maintains its position that permission or tacit consent given by
any national, state or local authority for the establishment and operation
of injection rooms or shooting galleries is contrary to the international
drug control conventions.

"It is noted that the Government of NSW wishes to permit the establishment
of a medically-supervised injection room for heroin addicts as a 'clinical'
trial, limited in duration for a period of 18 months at one location. The
board is unable to agree with this justification [of] the State's
sanctioning of a facility where drugs may be abused 'safely'.

"The board recognises the spread of drug abuse, HIV and hepatitis are
serious concerns and encourages your Government to provide instead the
largest variety possible of treatment facilities including the medically
supervised administration of prescription drugs in line with sound medical
practice and the international drug control conventions.

"The United Nations Convention against the Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs
and Psychotropic Substances, 1988, requires parties subject to their
constitutional principles and basic concept of their legal system, to
establish possession and purchase of drugs for personal use (non-medical)
consumption as a criminal offence. By permitting injection rooms, the
Government could be considered to be facilitation in the commission of
possession and use crimes, as well as other criminal offences including drug
trafficking

"Last, but not least, the board is concerned at the message that would be
sent by the countenancing of these injection rooms could send the wrong
message that Australia is a place where illicit substances can be abused
with impunity. As the host of the year 2000 summer Olympics, Australia
should instead be promoting healthy lifestyles, free from any substance
abuse."

What a way to promote ourselves to the rest of the world and what a way to
prove our State Government considers our children not worthwhile to keep
drug free.

Warren WH Woodley
President
Australian Cities Against Drugs