GREENS IN A HEROIN TRIAL PLAN

CLINICALLY produced heroin would be imported into Australia to trial
a new treatment for long-term addicts under the Victorian Greens drug
policy released yesterday.

Supervised heroin injection rooms, such as one running in Sydney's
Kings Cross, would also be trialled in Victoria while the policy also
proposes to scrap all criminal penalties for drug use.

The production, sale or trafficking of illicit drugs would remain an
offence, but users would only face a court order requiring them to
participate in a health scheme.

Greens Victorian Upper House candidate Colleen Hartland, who unveiled
the policy at a needle exchange in Footscray, said the proposals
would 'minimise the harm and save lives'.

"It is time to step back from the emotional debate and work to
implement programs that will effectively tackle the problems
associated with legal and illegal drugs," Ms Hartland said.

The heroin trial was needed for those addicts who, through their
long-term use, had become resistant to methadone-based treatments, she said.

"'It's not the decriminalisation of heroin," Ms Hartland said.