DRUGS: WE NEED FRESH THINKING

The latest analysis of the drug trade in Australia is just further proof
that the war on illicit drugs has been lost.

Cocaine is due to flood the drug market in Sydney at a time when heroin
availability is at an all-time high and the price at an all-time low. This
is just more compelling evidence that it is not possible to stem the flow
of drugs by simply trying to get tough on drug trafficking.

The Federal and State governments throw hundreds of millions of dollars at
the problem with no results. Even the big drug busts make no dent in the
availability. Despite the so-called offensives it is now easier than ever
to buy illicit drugs. National studies show that by the time they are 17
more than half of young people will have used an illicit drug.

The prediction with the cocaine influx is that it will be accompanied by
upsurge in HIV infection because of needle sharing.

In Melbourne's The Age last Friday former Victorian Liberal Premier Sir
Rupert Hamer appealed to the Federal Government to change its strategy to
one of education and harm minimisation. It is a similar message to that
from the recent national conference on drug abuse.

Sir Rupert, in his letter to the newspaper, appealed to the Federal
Government to take another look at the proposal in the ACT for a clinical
heroin trial where registered addicts can be prescribed the drug. He
points to a similar trial in Switzerland which has resulted in many addicts
being cured, a 60 per cent dcecrease in criminal offences and a fall in
unemployment.

Zero tolerance of illicit drugs has failed as a policy. Education is the
key for non-drug-users and for drug users. That has to be accompanied by a
harm minimisation programme, and if that means prescribing drugs for
addicts, then that has to at least be tried.

The dilemma for governments is the potential political backlash from a
community that cannot understand why the drug trade cannot be simply
stamped out by aggressive policing. The evidence of the failure of that
policy is everywhere and it is time for some political courage and a new
approach.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski