Pubdate: Wed, 06 Dec 2000 Source: Maribyrnong Mail (Australia) Contact: +61 3 92787777 Author: Ray Allinson DRUG RETHINK WHAT a landmark week for Footscray and Maribyrnong council. We had the release of the draft illicit drug report and a major drug bust in Footscray. We, as a community, have a council representing us that wants to have a legalised injecting facility -- with no drugs to be provided (page three draft summary), yet on page 20 of the draft report we have: "Council write to the Federal Government stating its support for making heroin available to addicts by prescription." We also have the face of social workers in the West, Les Twentyman, commenting on the significant drug seizure (November 24, Channel 7 news). He stated that we have a lot of stressed-out addicts, and now after this seizure, they are going to be even more stressed out. Which side are you on, Les? One of the underlying problems is that we have people like this giving advice to government/council -- no wonder the authorities have a hard time trying to get it right. The sooner these agencies admit that their 'softly softly' approach does not work, we may be able to make some progress in this major health epidemic. Ray Allinson, Seddon - --- MAP posted-by: Don Beck