HEROIN: PM MUST ACT

Each time Canberra's ambulance officers respond to an emergency call these
days, they know there is a one-in-10 chance they will find a heroin
overdose at the other end.

The recent spate of overdoses (the July figure was 42 compared with eight
in July last year) may be symptomatic of a flood of peculiarly pure heroin
on the market, but that doesn't explain why ambulance officers have
encountered overdose victims as young as 12, or why "starter packs" of
heroin and a syringe are being peddled to children for as little as $10.

When a couple of weeks' worth of pocket money can buy a Year 6 child a hit
of heroin, society can no longer pretend it doesn't have a problem. No
longer can it blame some personality defect on the part of addicts, or
believe the solution lies in getting tough on users.

Police and paramedics are most aware than most of us of the incongruity of
the "zero tolerance" approach, and have called for new ways of combating
what they believe is a worsening drug problem.

No-one was surprised when ACT Health Minister Michael Moore announce this
week that the ACT Government would consider allowing "shooting galleries"
where addicts could inject drugs within reach of medical assistance. Mr
Moore is well known for his stance on harm- minimisation.

Far more surprising was the call by the Western Australian National Party
for the medicinal supply of heroin to addicts to be trialled. Canberrans
will recall that a similar trial for the ACT was vetoed by the Prime
Minister John Howard last year.

National leadership on this issue is vital. How long will Mr Howard ignore
the growing conviction of his clleagues, police and millions of ordinary
Australians that the war on drugs can never be won while the addict is the
enemy.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski