LIBS REJECT DRUG ROOMS

The State Government yesterday ruled out heroin injection centres,
despite a poll finding more than 70 per cent of Victorians favored
them.

A Newspoll obtained by the Herald Sun found 38.6 per cent of people
supported such centres strongly, and 31.9 per supported them 70.5 per
cent in total.

The poll, carried out on July 30 and August 1, found 27 per cent of
people were against or strongly against injection centres.

But the government said yesterday it would not support such
centres.

Health Minister Rob Knowles said cost and legal concerns had
influenced a decision not to follow NSW in setting up a heroin
injecting centre.

Mr Knowles said extra withdrawal services for addicts and improved
links with police were a more appropriate response.

"Our focus is very much on trying to help people break the addiction
and be rehabilitated back into the community," Mr Knowles said.

Mr Knowles also announced the statewide extension of a pilot program
allowing first-time heroin offenders to choose treatment over criminal
charges.

He said all first-time users caught with a small amount would be
allowed into treatment if the drugs were not associated with another
crime.

Mr Knowles said the government would spend $3million setting up four
new residential drug withdrawal units for young users to treat the
greater number of offenders who would no longer go through the court
system.

The beds will be in Coburg, Dandenong and Footscray, with another
centre in the east yet to be decided.

Mr Knowles said the government would also support police moves to
extend the Drugs Diversion program to second and third-time drug users.

The Herald Sun revealed last week that Wesley Central Mission was
considering setting up a $400,000 health care centre for addicts with
an addiction of two or more years.

The Newspoll conducted for Wesley Central Mission found widespread
support for heroin injection centres across all age groups.

More than 77 per cent of women supported the move while almost 63 per
cent of men were in favor. Support was highest among 25 to
49-year-olds (about 78 per cent) while 67.5 per cent aged above 50
were in favor.

Drugs loom as a major electoral issue as the September 18 election
enters its second week.

Labor's Steve Bracks will campaign strongly on his plan for five safe
houses and is set to tear up his offer of bipartisan support on the
problem.

Mr Bracks said fear of an electoral backlash had forced Mr Kennett to
back down on safe houses.

"To save his own political skin rather than Victorians' lives, he's
going to use this as a scare campaign," he said.

"Under Mr Kennett's Victoria, we've had more deaths on heroin ODs each
year over the past five or six years."