COST OF DRUGS TO COMMUNITY EXPOSED

WELLINGTON (NZPA) -- The cost of drugs - both in terms of money and
social impact - has been set out by the Government in its latest
policy review.

Jim Anderton, Associate Health Minister in charge of drug policy,
said the cost of drug abuse, legal and illegal, was "almost
incalculable".

He said reduced drug abuse would save millions -- for example 90 per
cent of those in jail were affected by drug and alcohol use and if
that could be reduced less jails would be needed.

Mr Anderton said in the past health effects had been the primary focus.

"This drug document tries to take a more economic and socially
orientated approach to the use of drugs. In other words what is the
cost to the community and to individuals and families both
financially, economically and socially," he said.

"Of course that has health effects as well, we're not saying health
effects are not important, but we are also widening the scope of the
document."

Mr Anderton emphasised legal drugs such as alcohol and tobacco caused
far more harm than illegal drugs -- between 70-90 per cent of
criminal activity related to alcohol use and 4700 deaths a year were
largely attributable to tobacco use.

"We can get fixated with drugs a minimum number of people use but the
real problem is the ones that a lot of people use."

Mr Anderton said the new policy would reflect changes in New Zealand
such as the growing use of amphetamine -- speed-type drugs that
included P -- and party pills.

"We need to make sure our policy is up to date and that the most
appropriate responses in dealing with drug-related harm are made."

Detailed action plans would be developed once the policy was in place.

Attention would be given to at-risk groups that experience a
disproportionate amount of drug-related harm compared to the wider
population, such as young people and Maori.

The policy outlined areas of supply control, demand reduction and
problem limitation. Proposals ranged from toughening and enforcing
laws, greater education, continued work on pricing and tax policy,
and improving access to treatment. It also said more needed to be
done on collecting data.

The expanded drugs policy for the next five years, developed by the
Inter-Agency Committee on Drugs, is now out for consultation.

People can make written submissions and there will be 13 public
meetings around the country starting this month.