Pubdate: Wed, 21 Jun 2000
Source: Age, The (Australia)
Copyright: 2000 David Syme & Co Ltd
Contact:  250 Spencer Street, Melbourne, 3000, Australia
Website: http://www.theage.com.au/
Author: John Chase

SUPERVISED ROOMS NEED HEROIN SUPPLIED

How do addicts get their heroin? Zurich's "needle park" failed because the
addicts still had to buy it from criminals. In 1993 the Swiss corrected that
problem with a program offering free heroin, methadone and treatment upon
request.

The program seems to be a success, in that the Swiss have voted to expand it
to other Swiss cities and to double the number of registrants from about
1500 to about 3000 addicts. The only people who believe the Swiss program
has failed are drug warriors in my own government who don't bother with
facts when it comes to supporting official dogma.

If it is true that Australian addicts must still buy their drug from
criminals, I have no hope for the Australian program.

JOHN CHASE, Florida, US
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