COMRIE WINS SUPPORT FOR DRUG CAUTIONS

VICTORIA police Chief Commissioner Neil Comrie today won strong support for
a system of cautions to illegal drug users, after conceding that the
hardline approach had not worked.

Mr Comrie said he was very likely to order police to caution rather than
charge people found with small amounts of marijuana in a move to
concentrate resources where they were most needed.

He also said he was not totally opposed to extending the plan to harder drugs.

Mr Comrie told The Age newspaper the usual hardline police approach had not
worked and new ways had to be found to deal with the problem.

His proposal drew praise from the State Opposition and from the Australian
Drug Foundation.

Mr Comrie said they would decide within the next two months whether to
implement the caution plan, which has been tried out successfully in
north-west suburban Broadmeadows.

"We will then start turning our minds to whether or not we ought to include
other drugs in that program," Mr Comrie said.

"My position on that is that I have a totally open mind on it."

He said police were trying to direct resources "into areas of most concern
where they will have the most impact".

Under the trial, people can receive no more than two cautions, must have no
convictions for drug offences, must admit the offence and agree to being
cautioned.

A state government spokeswoman declined to comment, saying the issue was a
police matter under Mr Comrie's discretionary powers.

Last year, the government amended the Sentencing Act so first-offenders
coming before the courts charged with possession of small amounts of the
five most commonly used drugs would be given an adjourned bond or an
education and treatment order.

Australian Drug Foundation chief executive officer Bill Stronach welcomed
the proposals, saying nothing was achieved by jailing drug users.

Mr Stronach also backed the possibility of extending the caution plan to
harder drugs such as heroin.

"I think it's very sound because it's just a choice of drugs," Mr Stronach
said.

"Why would you do it for people using marijuana, which is also illegal, and
not for heroin or cocaine?"

Mr Stronach said the community would not like such a move, but he believed
they would consider it a step forward in fighting the drug war.

The 1996 report by the Premiers' Drug Advisory Council recommended police
caution first-time offenders found in possession of heroin, cocaine,
amphetamines, ectasy and marijuana, and refer them to a drug treatment
service.

Second offenders should get an adjourned bond, the council said.

Opposition police spokesman Andre Haermeyer applauded Mr Comrie for his
plan, saying the one dimensional, hard line law enforcement approach had
failed.

"More police, more police powers and tougher sentences will, of themselves,
not arrest the increase in illicit drug use," he said in a statement.