GOVERNMENT ACCUSED OVER HEROIN TOLL

HEROIN has become the second biggest killer of young West Australians,
cutting down almost as many people in their prime as the road toll.

Fifteen young and middle-aged people have died from heroin overdoses
in the past six weeks.

The Opposition believes that the State Government may be understating
the number of heroin overdose deaths.

The West Australian has learnt that almost 100 people aged between 14
and 45 died from heroin overdoses in the 12 months to June 30, a 33
per cent rise compared with the previous year’s toll of 75. Last
year's road toll claimed 143 lives in this age bracket.

But the State Government says the heroin death rate has stabilised
between 70 and 80 deaths a year.

The Government’s Drug Abuse Strategy Office coordinator Terry Murphy
said the figures obtained by The West Australian did not match the
numbers he had, which showed 52 deaths so far for 1999.

Mr Murphy said the number of suspected overdoses was reduced when
suicides were taken into account and not included in the toll.

Labor’s drugs spokesman Alan Carpenter said it would be unforgivable
if the Government was understating the heroin toll. “The Government
should not play poiitics with this issue, it is a crisis,’ he said.