SUCCESS HAILED ON ALL SIDES

Community and church groups reacted cautiously to the recommendations
of the Drug Summit yesterday, with the Salvation Army criticising the
support for injecting rooms.

Teachers also warned that commitments to education programs had to be
backed up by extra resources.

But overall the summit's key recommendations were seen as a positive
step forward.

The Salvation Army Youth Support Network director, Lieutenant Paul
Moulds, wrote an open letter to the Premier, arguing against injecting
rooms.

"Ideally next to every 'safe' injecting room the Government should
fund another service with a huge sign above the door saying 'Need Help
To Stop Using? You're Welcome!," he wrote.

The president of the NSW Federation of Parents and Citizens'
Associations, Ms Bev Baker, said more resources will be needed for
drug education at schools but was "extremely pleased and in fact
amazed at the outcome".

"We believe that it's a positive step, that will keep our kids alive
and safe and is a far better way forward than putting them on a
criminal path. It is good to take it out of a criminal arena and into
a health arena."

Ms Sue Simpson, president of the Teachers Federation, said the
recommendations on drug education were crucial but expressed concerns
about fitting it into a crowded curriculum.

A spokesman for the Police Association argued that if injecting rooms
were to be allowed, the role of police in policing rooms and the
surrounding area should be clarified.

"For example, with a person injecting in a public place such as
outside a church and school yard, they are saying police have no power
to intervene when the community expectation is that we will act," he
said.

However, he welcomed the potential expansion of police powers in laws
covering electronic surveillance, listening devices and search warrants.

Mr Paul Nicolau, chairman of the Ethnic Communities Council, welcomed
the forthcoming consultation with ethnic communities and said the
Government should now "go back to the coalface and find out what
people think".

At the end of a long week camping outside Parliament House, the
marijuana activists from Nimbin were relaxed and happy as they packed
for their return home.

Spokesman for the Nimbin Hemp Embassy, Mr Michael Balderstone, said
that as they sat in the gallery on Thursday night watching the debate,
they "were touched that there was genuine care and compassion there,
that there was going to be some real action, real change".