Note: Ivan Deveson is Lord Mayor of Melbourne. The drugs forum, New
Approaches to Responding To Illegal Drugs, will be held at 7.15 tonight in
the Melbourne Town Hall. The public is welcome.

IN SEARCH OF A MELBOURNE SOLUTION TO A GLOBAL PROBLEM

AS A caring and compassionate city, Melbourne, along with all other capital
cities, is perhaps facing its greatest challenge as it confronts the problem
of illegal drugs.

Arguably, nowhere will the barriers to drug reform and change become more
apparent than at tonight's drugs forum at the Melbourne Town Hall, when a
panel of drugs experts will examine new ways of addressing the problem.

The forum is likely to be controversial. Speakers will examine methods of
tackling drug-related problems, ranging from new medications for drug
withdrawal to safe injecting rooms.

International illicit drug trade is estimated to be worth between $US400
billion and $US600 billion. Estimates of expenditure on illicit drugs in
Australia vary between $1.44 billion and $2.6 billion a year.

The Federal Government's announcement of $100 million in funding, primarily
for law enforcement measures to stem the inflow of illegal drugs, is important.

But we cannot simply police the problem away. That's why I have backed an
important police initiative to allow people caught with small amounts of
marijuana for the first time to be given a warning rather than to be
automatically charged. The strategy, which has been trialled in
Broadmeadows, is designed to keep users out of court and to free scarce
police resources to target illicit drug traffickers.

The City of Melbourne recently met other inner city councils to devise safe
strategies to prevent the drug problem in one area being shifted to another.
We don't believe it is right for people in one part of Melbourne to be
rendered less vulnerable to drug traffickers at the expense of people in
other parts of the state.

The capital city lord mayors are considering an approach to drugs, based on
the so-called Frankfurt Resolution, which, according to Professor David
Penington, has helped to achieve a reduction in drug-related deaths, crime
and anti-social behavior through policies that include working with both
police and drug users.

Other methods being adopted overseas range from a Swiss trial involving
medically prescribing heroin to a group of long-term heroin-dependents, to
the provision of needles and syringes in some German prisons.

While the results of some of these trials appear potentially promising,
there is concern a softer approach to illegal drugs could inadvertently
place young people at the centre of a dangerous social experiment.

The announcement by the State Health Minister, Mr Rob Knowles, of a $795,000
strategy to investigate any link between cannabis use and the development of
psychosis, is an important development. Calls for the decriminalisation of
marijuana raise fears that cannabis may be a so-called "gateway" that
increases the likelihood of users taking up other drugs.

The City of Melbourne is tackling the problem through a variety of
initiatives, including the appointment of two safe city officers who liaise
directly with police and traders on illicit drug use.

We recently launched an accord with the city's amusement centres which
encourages responsible management of the venues, some of which have been
used for drug trafficking and dealing. We have done a study of the city's
laneways to see how they can be improved for people's safety, and we have
received State Government funds to study the impact of illicit drug use on
the young.

If we are going to influence young people, one thing is clear - we have to
listen to them and provide them with the kinds of information they need to
make decisions for themselves.

Getting the drugs message across to the young is one of the greatest
challenges confronting society. Young people themselves are asking for help,
describing illegal drugs in recent polling as their number one concern.

We also have to find a way of reaching the teenage drug dealers, recruited
by drug syndicates because their age places them in a perfect position to
peddle drugs to a generation of vulnerable young people. Teenage drug
dealers are also users and need to be included in any drug education campaign.

The complexities of effective communication in this area, however, cannot be
underestimated - a single word can be loaded with so many conflicting and
politically sensitive suggestions that forming an anti-drugs message for
young people is probably the most difficult communication challenge.

How can we talk safely about "recreational" drug use when the drugs involved
can kill you?

With the number of drug-related deaths said to be nearing road toll
proportions, there is nowhere to hide. And no family is immune.

Melbourne does not have a problem by international standards. But only by
recognising the growing threat from drugs can we take the necessary action
to ensure that we remain a safe city.

Checked-by: Melodi Cornett