Pubdate: Tue, 19 Sep 2000
Source: Australian, The (Australia)
Copyright: News Limited 2000
Contact:  http://www.theaustralian.com.au/
Author: Brian Watters

OVERDOSE STRATEGIES EXAMINED

I WISH to thank Dr Alex Wodak for his support of the Australian National 
Council on Drugs position paper on heroin overdose (Letters, 14/9).

The federal Government's Tough on Drugs strategy was begun less than two 
years ago and it takes time for it to be fully implemented and for the 
results to become apparent.

The Tough on Drugs strategy has provided $500 million to Australian 
services to combat the drug problem: research projects; new and expanded 
treatment services; education and other prevention programs; extended 
needle exchange and methadone programs; family support services; expanded 
police and customs services; the court diversion services; and indigenous 
programs.

A keystone of the ANCD's policies has always been that programs, especially 
new and innovative programs, should be based on evidence and be rigorously 
evaluated.

It should be no surprise that this is emphasised in respect to the proposal 
for medically supervised injecting rooms, which is undoubtedly the most 
contentious, and even divisive proposal in Australia.

The WHO evaluation of the Swiss heroin trial raised questions on its 
measurable effectiveness and the practicality of its implementation as a 
general policy.

There is evidence from Germany and Switzerland that the range of strategies 
recommended in the ANCD paper are significant factors in the reduction of 
deaths from overdose in those countries.

Obviously a position paper dealing with heroin-related overdose is not 
going to deal with matters of supply reduction, or marijuana policy.

Put the paper does allude to the need for education of drug users and to 
ways of avoiding overdose. Perhaps "snorting" heroin, instead of injecting, 
falls into that category.

Whilst scientific rigour is an essential component of any policy proposal, 
none of us can afford to forget or ignore the sad reality of the human 
suffering involved.

The members of the ANCD are all people who are working closely with those 
who are suffering or have lost loved ones. I can assure Dr Wodak that our 
membership is not lacking in compassion or commonsense and we are not 
constrained by "political correctness", whatever that means.

It is not sniffer dogs, helicopters or political correctness that causes 
overduse deaths in Australia. It is the use of heroin, often in combination 
with other drugs, that is killing people, young and old.

The ANCD position paper on overdoses seeks to respond to that issue with a 
comprehensive strategy that includes prevention, supply reduction and harm 
reduction, believing as we do that there is no simple "one shot" solution.

Major Brian Watters, Chairman, Australian National Council on Drugs
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