CORNER STORES A BETTER SPOT FOR DRUG SALES

One of Australia's top prosecutors would rather see marijuana sold in corner
shops than by criminals on the streets.

South Australian Director of Public Prosecutions Paul Rofe said yesterday
young people were exposed to criminals as a result of current cannabis laws,
which also meant there was no price or quality control over the drug.

"I'd much rather see cannabis sold in the corner shops with the usual
restrictions as to sale to minors and health warnings that we have with
tobacco than the way it's sold at the moment," he said.

Speaking at the Australasian Conference on Drugs Strategy, he said people
should consider government-controlled supply and distribution of drugs such
as marijuana and heroin, as current attempts to combat the drugs crisis did
not work.

Questions needed to be asked about whether enough was known about the
effects of cannabis and, if it was found to be no more harmful than tobacco
and alcohol, government supply and distribution should be considered.

"We don't appear to be winning the war," he said. "The most successful
inroads we've made so far have been education in health with tobacco."

Also yesterday, a former police officer said teenagers would be more likely
to reject drugs at dance parties if they were better educated about why
people used drugs.

Gary Fliegner, who now heads a Melbourne-based security training company,
said the "just say no" approach should be replaced by education about social
and mental health issues such as depression, which may lead to drug use.

"Teach people from an earlier age that going to a psychologist or
psychiatrist is just as normal as going to the dentist and that there are
alternatives when your brain is unhappy, rather than resorting to the
swallowing of a pill," he said.

"I really think if we want to get to the root of the problem we have to
educate people about their minds at an earlier age.

"My biggest point is we have not got a drug problem in this country ...
we've got a social problem causing people to use drugs.

"The problem is a distinct lack of education. People are going to take the
drugs and the problem is if they're not educated as to the effects and how
to look after themselves, then there's a problem."