600 SIGNATURES FOR HEROIN TRIAL

Under the rubric of the "Lobby for the Addicted", doctors, judges,
sociologists and spiritual advisers are again exerting pressure.

On Wednesday, 11/25/98, a list of 600 signatures was handed in to the
municipal council demanding medically necessary injection rooms and the
distribution of prescribed heroin.

The "Stuttgart Resolution" has cleared the way of obstacles for new drug
policies.

There is still opposition to be overcome, headed by federal social affairs
minister Friedhelm Repnik(CDU). But, as addiction specialist Dr. Frank
Matschinski confirmed, "Opiate distribution and injection will come, but
not creeping in through the back door as was the case with synthetic drugs.

That must not happen again, otherwise, if we don't make aggressive
preparations for the measures to be taken, things could turn chaotic."

What we have to be concerned about, he said, is the development of a "grey
market" such as developed around the distribution of codein. "Methadone
distribution also has its problems when it is not accompanied by
appropriate psycho-social support."

Checked-by: Richard Lake