DRUG ADDICTION A MEDICAL PROBLEM

WELL might Police Commissioner Peter Ryan tell London's Daily Mail that we
are "not winning" the war on drugs (Daily Telegraph, January 11).

These disclosures by the State's top police officer indicate that despite
increased surveillance and penalties, more people than ever are turning to
injectable drugs in the cities and now in rural and regional centres in NSW.

It is time to acknowledge that a legal solution will now be found. Putting
users and dealers in jail only gives temporary respite.

For each person imprisoned, 10 more spring up to take their place. Nor is
education the answer.

Today's drug users are more knowledgeable than a number of medical
practitioners on the dangers of street drugs.

The fundamental breakdown in family structure and hopelessness in the young
leads many to try injectable oblivion.

The answer lies partly in treating this problem as a medical emergency.

Surely we need to treat the bushfire of addiction before it burns out of
control.