Pubdate: Mon, 26 Mar 2001
Source: Australian, The (Australia)
Copyright: 2001 News Limited {YEAR}
Contact:  Box 339 GPO Adelaide, SA 5001
Fax: (08) 8206-3688
Website: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

PARENTS IN FRONT LINE OF PM'S DRUG WAR

TELEVISION advertisements depicting the failed dreams of drug addicts who 
end up as prostitutes or in body bags were launched yesterday as part of a 
national effort to jolt parents into talking about drugs with their 
children.The second phase of John Howard's Tough on Drugs Campaign also 
includes an information booklet that will be sent to every Australian 
household. Launching the initiative in Sydney, the Prime Minister made no 
apology for its confrontational nature. The campaign, he said, was calling 
parents to action as the nation's greatest resource in the war against drugs.

He said the $27 million initiative would be successful because parents 
could influence their children more than churches, schools and community 
leaders. But he admitted it could take years to work.

The campaign drew praise from many campaigners yesterday ­ but it was also 
attacked as a waste of money, showing once again that there is no consensus 
on how to tackle the drug problem.

Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation president Alex Wodak said there was 
no evidence that mass media campaigns reduced drug use, while $27 million 
could buy places in methadone and other treatment programs for as many as 
15,000 Australians.

"We know that that would have substantial benefits in reducing deaths, 
disease, crime and perhaps even corruption," Dr Wodak said.

"There is a great shortfall at the moment where people are finding it 
desperately hard to get into detox centres and treatment programs, 
especially pharmacological ones."

Dr Wodak said the campaign was carefully crafted but failed to address the 
real issues.

National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre information manager Paul Dillon 
said the information sent to parents created the perception that only 
children with troubles turned to drugs.

"The most confronting thing parents may have to face when they talk to 
their children about drugs is that the children take them for enjoyment and 
to unwind in much the same way as the parents smoke and drink alcohol," Mr 
Dillon said.

Opposition health spokeswoman Jenny Macklin said if the Howard Government 
was serious about tackling the drug issue, it needed to back the campaign 
with measures to provide better access to treatment.
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