TIME TO START A HEROIN TRIAL

August 19 is the first anniversary of the decision by Federal Cabinet to
shelve the proposed ACT heroin trial. Since the trial was stopped, heroin
overdose deaths have continued to increase, drug-related crime has soared
and drug use continues to expand. Corruption of law enforcement officials
linked to policing of our drug laws continues to be a major community
concern.

Since the Australian heroin trial was scrapped, more results have emerged
from the successful Swiss trial which involved prescribing heroin to 1,146
long-standing heroin users who had not improved despite multiple previous
attempts at treatment. Heroin prescription reduced crime and homelessness
while improving health and employment. The heroin trial saved the Swiss
people 45 Swiss francs (about $50) for every drug user for every day of the
trial.

The Prime Minister, John Howard, announced additional spending in November
and March of almost $200 million over the next four years so the additional
spending on law enforcement would make a material difference to the
availability of illicit drugs in this country.

In a national referendum last September, 71 per cent of Swiss voters (with
majorities in all 26 cantons) supported continuing heroin prescription
beyond the trial as a treatment option. A heroin trial was started in the
Netherlands in July.

Because of the promising results of the Swiss research, heroin trials are
now also being considered in many other countries including Belgium,
France, Denmark, Luxembourg, Sweden, Israel, Spain and Britain. Researchers
also are interested in conducting trials in New Zealand, Canada and the
United States. In Australia, mayors from the major capital cities met
recently in Brisbane and supported heroin trials in this country.

The community badly wants to see fewer deaths. and disease and less crime
and corruption linked to illicit drugs. Federal Cabinet should reconsider
its position on the heroin trial as it has on other policies (such as the
OST and nursing homes).

Dr Alex Wodak.
President, Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation.
August 17, Darlinghurst

Checked-by: Joel W. Johnson