LEGAL SANCTIONS DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

DR ALEX WODAK is again campaigning for a free-heroin-for-addicts program.

He claims that the recent 'trial' of heroin supply in Switzerland caused
'impressive health, social and economic gains''.

He doesn't mention that, after one year, 30 per cent of participants had
dropped out.

After three years only 7 per cent had elected to try being drug-free.

The International Narcotics Control Board queried the scientific basis of
the trial because it contained no control group of comparable addicts in
abstinence-orientated therapy.

The slogan that 'prohibition has failed'' is dishonest and needs putting to
sleep - 98 per cent of Australians have had nothing to do with the
prohibited drug heroin. Contrast this with legal drugs, like alcohol,
tobacco and benzodiazepines.

Legal sanctions do make a difference. It seems very strange when
well-educated persons claim otherwise.

ARNOLD JAGO
Mildura, Victoria

Checked-by: Richard Lake