PM URGED TO LEAD WAR ON DRUGS

NSW Director of Public Prosecutions Nick Cowdery has called on the
Prime Minister to lead the way in drug reform policies.

Prime Minister John Howard must take the lead on drug reform as state
politicians were ducking for cover on the issue, NSW Director of
Public Prosecutions Nick Cowdery said yesterday.

Mr Cowdery said NSW Health Minister Andrew Refshauge's decision to
suspend an inner-city needle exchange because a newspaper published
photos of a teenager shooting up was dangerous and
inappropriate.

He said Mr Howard should introduce measures to reduce the death,
disease and crime associated with illicit drug use, including safe
injecting rooms, a heroin trial, decriminalisation of marijuana and
the continuation of the needle-exchange program.

"The Prime Minister and his Government have an obligation to the
entire country to do what they can to implement policies and to put in
place public administration that is going to benefit the entire
community as a whole," Mr Cowdery said.

"Present policies don't do that, and leadership should really come
from the top."

Mr Cowdery accused state politicians of ducking for cover on the
controversial issue of drug reform "because it's too hard".

"They deal with it by categorising it as a criminal-justice issue, and
making harsh statements about how they would propose to deal with the
unpleasantness of it all," Mr Cowdery said.

"Unfortunately, that doesn't have any effect on reducing or
eliminating the real problems."

Mr Howard should rethink his opposition to a heroin trial, he
said.

"I think Mr Howard should listen to his health minister very closely
and take his advice on a matter of this kind which is a health issue,"
Mr Cowdery said.

Last year, Mr Howard overturned a decision by federal Health Minister
Michael Wooldridge to back a heroin trial in the ACT.

Mr Cowdery said a heroin trial should be set up "without delay". It
could be based in Sydney, although there might be an advantage in
running it in a smaller centre such as Newcastle, Wollongong or Lismore.

He said suggestions under 18s should have to undergo counselling
before being given clean needles was "slightly unrealistic in the
present environment".

Safe injecting rooms were a better way to expose young people to
counselling and would also enhance the environment in high-drug-use
areas.

"Ask the residents of Caroline St in Redfern would they prefer to put
up with what has apparently been happening there now for some time,
which is admittedly very unpleasant, or would they prefer that these
activities take place in a regulated, safe, secure and clean way
indoors, even if in the same street?" Mr Cowdery said.

He said the rooms could be placed in non-residential areas such as
industrial estates, as long as they were accessible.