ADDICTS GET FREE DRUGS

HARDCORE heroin addicts would be given taxpayer-funded drugs under a
controversial policy unveiled by the Greens.

The drugs policy would also abolish all criminal sanctions for drug
users, who would instead be required to undergo counselling, detox
and rehabilitation programs.

The policy, released yesterday by the party that could win the
balance of power in the Upper House on November 25, flagged trials to
provide free heroin to long-term users in a bid to wean them off the drug.

And injecting rooms for addicts would open across Victoria.

The policy has been denounced by police and major political parties.

But Greens candidate Colleen Hartland said it was a responsible
policy that would save lives.

"I think it's a sensible way of looking at drugs from a health
perspective," Ms Hartland said.

"If you don't have these kinds of policies the only choice people end
up with is often prison, and that doesn't work."

Victorian law states it is an offence for a person to have in their
possession a drug of dependence.

A person is charged with trafficking if caught with more than 250g of
cannabis or more than 6g of amphetamines.

The Greens have no plans to change the charges relating to commercial
amounts of drugs.

Ms Hartland said providing heroin to users was not legalising the drug.

"What you are saying is there are certain people who may need to have
heroin prescribed," she said.

Greens health spokesman Richard di Natale said the heroin would be
imported from overseas.

"I can't tell you specifically where that is, except to say it's
available," Dr di Natale said.

"It's manufactured as a pharmaceutical product.

"There are heroin trials that have happened all around the world
(but) not in Australia."

Premier Steve Bracks rejected the drug policy.

"It is not a policy which is a deterrent in use of drugs by young
people," Mr Bracks said.

"I certainly do not support that policy at all."

But Mr Bracks did not rule out doing a preference deal with the
Greens for the November 25 polls.

Under the Greens policy, users caught outside injecting rooms would
be required by a court to attend education and health programs.

More Government funds would be put into drug programs, with plans to
examine the need for injecting rooms.

Ms Hartland would not say which suburbs were in need of injecting rooms.

The Police Association was concerned about ending criminal sanctions
against drug users.

Association secretary Paul Mullett said the Greens should be turning
their attention to commercial and street-level heroin dealers.

"We would not want to see a move towards decriminalisation," Sen-Sgt
Mullett said.

But he said the expanded needle exchange program had some merit.

Opposition health spokeswoman Helen Shardey said she was deeply
concerned by the policy.

"This is a policy fraught with danger and sends a bad message to
people who are trying to get off drugs," Ms Shardey said.