MINISTER OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO STUDY FRENCH NARCO-POLICY

Introduced in the present Norwegian narco-policy debates has of late French
successes with replacing methadon with bupronorphine been mentioned.

In a debate in the Storting today said the Minister of Social Services that
she will visit France in the next two weeks to obtain first-hand
information of the French experiences.

- - After that, in consultations with the Government's Public Health
Department and other authorities we shall see if similar trials should be
conducted in Norway as well, said Melveit Kleppa.

In the debate, after a question from John I. Alvheim (FRP) {Advancement
Party, translator's note}, she noted that the Government is determined to
establish concrete and flexible aids on the street-level in the Oslo region.

Alvheim pointed out that over 200 heavy narcotic users died from overdoses
last year.

- - It can be as many, maybe more, deaths if we do not take extra-ordinary
measures and apply them at the street-level in Oslo immediately, said Alvheim.

Total number of drug related deaths in Norway during 1998 were 270. This
compares with 177 in 1997.

For the first time, as many died out side of the Oslo metropolitan area as
in it, 136 to 134. Of the 270 fatalities in 1997 226 were males and 44 were
women.