PENINGTON SLAMS PM'S STANCE ON HEROIN SCOURGE

Victoria's most prominent drug reform expert yesterday rejected the stance
of the Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, on countering the heroin problem and
condemned the prohibition model as a failure.

Professor David Penington said heroin was cheaper, more readily available
and purer today than when the seriousness of the problem led the Kennett
Government to ask him to chair a drugs advisory council more than three
years ago.

He reinforced his support for the trial use of heroin in a rehabilitation
context - which Mr Howard this week dismissed as a glib solution - and said
the present system of countering heroin abuse had failed to stem drug
trafficking and use.

"We hear just recently of huge hauls of heroin ... and we have announcements
made by politicians that obviously the system is working, and that will deal
with the problem. But the reality of course is that the street price of
heroin is probably less than it's ever been and the purity of heroin higher
than it's ever been," Professor Penington said.

"The prohibition regime, despite all of the efforts over a long period, has
been associated with increasing crime, increasing flood of illicit drugs
into the country. Production of heroin and cocaine is now at a world
all-time high, and it will continue to come into the country despite every
effort through police, Customs and the National Crime Authority."

He said the heroin trial was just one of a number of steps needed.

"I think there are dangers that people see the heroin trial as an answer to
Australia's problem with drugs, and it's not. But it is one important and
necessary element of answering the problems," he said.

Professor Penington was hopeful the community would lead the way in showing
tolerance and understanding as new strategies were developed.

"We really do have a better understanding in the community that prohibition
isn't solving the problem, and that we therefore do have to start to look at
alternative approaches," he said.

"I think politicians will respond to public opinion in this regard -
eventually."

His comments came as another member of the advisory council, Mr Bernie
Geary, who is also a member of the youth parole board, condemned the Prime
Minister's recent remarks about the heroin trial.

In its initial stage, the trial was to have involved 40 long-time heroin
addicts from Canberra being prescribed pharmaceutical heroin in a strictly
controlled rehabilitation setting.

The trial, which had the backing of most state and territory health and
police ministers, would not have proceeded any further unless close
evaluation determined the first stage was a success. But Mr Howard scuttled
it in 1997, saying it would have sent an "adverse signal" to young people.

Mr Geary yesterday defended the trial as a potential avenue for young people
to escape from addiction.

"I just get really annoyed when I hear him saying what a lot of other people
of his age would say, but he's the Prime Minister, he should be better
informed," Mr Geary said.

The men were speaking at the launch of a six-bed drug treatment program at
the Malmsbury juvenile justice centre, which will provide intensive support
and rehabilitation for male youths during and after their sentence.

The program, funded by the State Government, is being run by the Brosnan
Centre.