BLAST FOR STATES' DRUG POLICIES

STATE cannabis laws must be strengthened and a heroin injecting room
in Sydney's Kings Cross closed down, the federal minister responsible
for illicit drugs has warned, ahead of a meeting on drug policy with
the states today.

Christopher Pyne has lashed out at his state counterparts for being
weak when it comes to preventing illicit drug use and accused them of
undermining Canberra's "Tough on Drugs" stance -- foreshadowing a
fight at today's Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy.

Despite growing evidence of the contribution cannabis makes to mental
health problems, "the state governments still have a soft approach to
cannabis use", Mr Pyne said.

"(Many of them) still have a series of warnings before nothing much
more than the equivalent of a traffic fine."

Mr Pyne would not be drawn on just what laws the states should
introduce, saying only that they should be sending a tougher message.

The Federal Government's top advisers on illicit drugs will tell the
states that Australian governments need to do more to help South-East
Asian nations to improve rehabilitation and treatment programs.

The Government's "zero-tolerance" message on drugs -- sent at the
same time it continues to support harm-reduction measures such as
needle exchanges -- has been attacked as contradictory. Drug experts
have also warned that it risks Australia's aid for harm-reduction
programs in Asia.

Former Howard Government minister John Herron -- who chairs the
Australian National Council on Drugs -- will tell today's meeting
that there has been a huge increase in methamphetamine production in
South-East Asia.

Also at the meeting, Victorian Mental Health Minister Lisa Neville
will ask where the $150 million promised by the Federal Government in
relation to illicit drugs will go.