SWISS HEROIN TRIAL COUNTERS PM'S VIEW

A Swiss heroin trial that the Prime Minister believes supports his
argument that drug trials are ineffective has been credited with
achieving big reductions in crime and homelessness among addicts and
significant health improvements.

No overdoses were recorded at the prescribing clinics and the
experiment saved millions of dollars in police, jail and health costs,
according to an independent review.

The report appears to contradict Mr John Howard, who said on Sydney
radio yesterday that he had seen no evidence that the Swiss trial was
working particularly well.

Australian drug and alcohol workers said yesterday that the first
Swiss trial had been a success and was finished. Swiss authorities
were so satisfied with the outcome that they planned to adopt
legislation allowing the medical prescription of heroin in clinical
practice, they said.

The Swiss trial is the most comprehensive heroin trial ever conducted.
It began more than five years ago in 18 treatment centres and involved
more than 1000 patients. A 1997 review of its first three years found:

Criminal offences and the number of offenders fell by 60per
cent.

Permanent employment increased from 14 to 32per cent among
participants.

Homelessness among addicts ended.

Physical health of addicts improved.

Pregnancies during heroin prescription progressed normally.

The report found the clinics caused no serious disturbances to local
neighborhoods.

But only a small number of patients - about 7 to 8per cent - had given
up heroin completely for abstinence therapy after the first three
years of the trial.

To join the trial, heroin addicts had to be at least 20 and been
dependent on the drug for at least two years.

According to the Swiss review, the trial compared favorably with other
treatment options. It said: ``The program was able, to a greater
extent than other treatments, to reach its designated target group -
those with chronic heroin dependency, a history of failed attempts
with other forms of treatment and marked deficiencies in terms of
health and social integration.''

The head of research at Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre, Dr
Alison Ritter, said the Swiss experience lent further weight to the
argument for an Australian heroin trial.

``In anyone's language these are highly successful outcomes,'' she
said.

Heroin worth millions of dollars was seized from a Sydney garage
yesterday during an eight-month National Crime Authority operation to
break a drug ring stretching across NSW and Victoria. More than
8.5kilograms of heroin was found in block and powder form, along with
a heroin press, in suburban Ashfield.