PRAISE FOR WA DRUG FIGHT

THE WA Government has won a bouquet for its efforts in fighting drug and
alcohol abuse, coming second only to the Northern Territory in a national
report compiled by 220 drug experts.

But its 44 per cent increase in spending, from $13.07 million in 1995-96 to
$18.78 million in 1996-97 - per capita, $7.48 to $10.46- still represents
only 5 per cent of WA's revenue from alcohol and tobacco taxes.

The pattern is repeated around the nation, with most States and Territories
spending less than 5 per cent of their alcohol and tobacco revenue on
treating related problems.

Alcohol and Other Drugs Council of Australia chief executive David Crosbie
attacked the governments for not doing more to address a problem, estimated
to cost Australia $18.8 billion a year.

"If we were talking about a new cancer or food poisoning killing as many
people as drug abuse does, I am sure governments would stop at nothing to
address the problems," Mr Crosbie said.

"Instead, most governments seem content to fiddle around the edges"

According to a report commissioned by the AODCA and ranking State and
Territory performances on 10 key areas of drug policy and programs, the
top-ranking NT Government spent $74.04 per person in 1996-97 and the
lowest, New South Wales. spent $6.60. The Federal Government, which was not
ranked, spent $2 per person on drug programs.

Despite its high ranking, WA still had scope for significant improvement in
tackling serious problems such as the State's high rate of heroin-related
overdoses, Mr Crosbie said.

Eighty-three people died from suspected heroin overdoses in WA last year.

Mr Crosbie also attacked the Federal Government's delay in releasing money
from its $190 million, four-year Tough on Drug Strategy - first announced
by Prime Minister John Howard in November -warning it could lose
credibility on the issue.

A spokesman for Federal Health Minister Michael Wooldridge denied money
from the drug strategy was slow to flow, saying some had already been spent
on research and treatment programs

Checked-by: Richard Lake