INJECTING ROOMS A CRIME: UN

The International Narcotics Control Board has renewed its attack on
Australia's planned trials of heroin safe injecting rooms, warning that
participating governments would be "aiding in the commission of crimes" and
"facilitating illicit drug trafficking".

The United Nations drugs body says support of the so-called shooting
galleries by the NSW, Victorian and ACT governments would be seen as "a step
in the direction of drug legalisation".

The warnings are contained in the board's annual report, which will be
distributed to governments around the world today.

But the NSW Government said the control board's warnings would not slow its
trial. Its priority was to reduce drug use, "not to satisfy concerns of an
overseas organisation", the Special Minister of State, Mr Della Bosca, said
last night.

"The community wants action against drugs and expects government to provide
leadership," he said.

The control board entered the Australian debate over safe injecting rooms in
December when the Prime Minister released advice from its chairman, Mr
Antonio Martins, that the trials would be in breach of international drug
conventions.

An earlier warning that Australia could face an international embargo of its
$160 million-a-year legal opiates trade if it proceeded with the trials is
not repeated in the annual report.

The report urges governments to increase their provision of rehabilitation
services for drug abusers, rather than examine the controlled use of the
drugs.

"By permitting drug injection rooms, a government could be considered to be
in contravention of the international drug control treaties by facilitating
in, aiding and/or abetting the commission of crimes involving illegal drug
possession and use as well as other criminal offence, including drug
trafficking," it says.

The UN body monitors how the world's governments implement the provisions of
international drug controltreaties and has long takena hardline,
prohibitionist stance against any controlled drug distribution.

Its annual report raises concerns about the increasing availability and high
purity rate of heroin on Australian streets as well as evidence of increased
cultivation of marijuana and manufacture of amphetamines.

"The board trusts that decision-makers in Australia will carefully choose
policies, programs and projects that will reverse those trends and that
those ... will be in full compliance with the international drug control
treaties," it says.

The report says the provision of heroin through safe injecting rooms would
contravene a 1988 convention that required countries to pass laws making the
possession and purchase of drugs for personal use criminal offences.

This warning echoes the board's earlier advice, which was issued in response
to a request from Mr Della Bosca.

But Mr Della Bosca said the safe injecting room would not breach any
international drug treaty signed by Australia.

He said the public expected government leadership after a drug summit last
year recommended trials of new programs. The injecting room, plus trials of
methadone alternatives, youth drug courts and compulsory treatment for young
offenders were "a small part" of the 170 summit recommendations.