Pubdate: Tue, 20 Jun 2000
Date: 06/20/2000
Source: Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
Author: Dr. Andrew Byrne
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n839/a08.html

Peter Maresch is wrong (Letters, June 19). Tightening drug law
enforcement does not improve drug-related crime - it wastes money on
policing and makes addicts more desperate.

But Mr Maresch is right. Those with the main "axe to grind" are
parents of the more than 700 young Australians who die of preventable
drug overdose each year.

Injecting rooms have saved lives overseas. The Swiss have found that
they make good economic sense and are humanitarian. Ten years of
experience overseas has not shown that they encourage drug use.

Dr Andrew Byrne,
Redfern