News (Media Awareness Project) - Australia: Report Gives Howard Thumbs Down On Drugs Policy |
| Title: | Australia: Report Gives Howard Thumbs Down On Drugs Policy |
| Published On: | 1999-08-19 |
| Source: | Canberra Times (Australia) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-09-05 23:15:33 |
REPORT GIVES HOWARD THUMBS DOWN ON DRUGS POLICY
Overdose deaths are rising while addicts are starting younger, says a
report card issued two years after Prime Minister John Howard scotched a
planned heroin trial.
The report from Families and Friends for Drug Law Reform said Mr Howards
zero tolerance and tough-on-drugs strategy had scored a fail.
President Brian McConnell said the report assessed the main planks of Mr
Howards strategy.
The policy of cracking down on drug barons had not succeeded, with overdose
deaths still rising, hitting 832 in 1997, while availability of drugs,
including heroin, was increasing, he said.
And the Governments policy of zero tolerance in schools and among children
had failed to stem rising demand for drugs among young people.
Recent figures showed marijuana use among 14-19 year olds had increased
from 28.3 per cent in 1995 to 34.6 percent in 1998. He said there had been
no results on research into rehabilitation while the policy of the
Australian National Council on Drugs reaching all levels of government and
influencing policy was an unknown factor as it was not transparent.
Mr McConnell said no outcomes had been reported from the strategy to divert
up to 800,000 people to treatment over four years.
It is two years since he vetoed the ACT heroin trial, Mr McConnell said.
"In that time drug use and overdose deaths have continued to rise.
"Grieving parents must be confused about the compassion of a Prime Minister
who continually refuses to consider a treatment that saves lives.
Nothing of what it has done has reduced overdoses.
No school, had received funding under Mr Howards zero-tolerance policy in
schools.
All the money promised has so far produced no result on the bottom line
where it counts.
Mr Howard has been opposed to a heroin trial since it was first mooted by
the ACT in 1996.
NSW Premier Bob Can has announced his Government will set up a
safe-injecting room at St Vincents Hospital in Sydneys King Cross.
The ACT Government is also drawing up a drug strategy which will
incorporate supervised injecting rooms.
Overdose deaths are rising while addicts are starting younger, says a
report card issued two years after Prime Minister John Howard scotched a
planned heroin trial.
The report from Families and Friends for Drug Law Reform said Mr Howards
zero tolerance and tough-on-drugs strategy had scored a fail.
President Brian McConnell said the report assessed the main planks of Mr
Howards strategy.
The policy of cracking down on drug barons had not succeeded, with overdose
deaths still rising, hitting 832 in 1997, while availability of drugs,
including heroin, was increasing, he said.
And the Governments policy of zero tolerance in schools and among children
had failed to stem rising demand for drugs among young people.
Recent figures showed marijuana use among 14-19 year olds had increased
from 28.3 per cent in 1995 to 34.6 percent in 1998. He said there had been
no results on research into rehabilitation while the policy of the
Australian National Council on Drugs reaching all levels of government and
influencing policy was an unknown factor as it was not transparent.
Mr McConnell said no outcomes had been reported from the strategy to divert
up to 800,000 people to treatment over four years.
It is two years since he vetoed the ACT heroin trial, Mr McConnell said.
"In that time drug use and overdose deaths have continued to rise.
"Grieving parents must be confused about the compassion of a Prime Minister
who continually refuses to consider a treatment that saves lives.
Nothing of what it has done has reduced overdoses.
No school, had received funding under Mr Howards zero-tolerance policy in
schools.
All the money promised has so far produced no result on the bottom line
where it counts.
Mr Howard has been opposed to a heroin trial since it was first mooted by
the ACT in 1996.
NSW Premier Bob Can has announced his Government will set up a
safe-injecting room at St Vincents Hospital in Sydneys King Cross.
The ACT Government is also drawing up a drug strategy which will
incorporate supervised injecting rooms.
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