Pubdate: Thu, 28 Sep 2000
Source: Canberra Times (Australia)
Copyright: 2000 Canberra Times
Contact:  http://www.canberratimes.com.au/
Author: Paul Drury

HEROIN PATCH WOULD ELIMINATE NEEDLES

NICOTINE addicts can be greatly assisted by nicotine patches which enable
nicotine to be absorbed into the bloodstream through the skin without the
necessity of smoking. Perhaps heroin addicts could be similarly helped if
they could be legally provided with heroin patches to achieve a similar
result with heroin. This could have the potential to eliminate the need for
injecting rooms or indeed the use of needles altogether, thus offering great
advantages to us all. Of course a problem might arise if some heroin addicts
attempted to supplement their patches by injecting illegally obtained
heroin. We would of course need an inquiry, a trial and public discussion
before such a scheme was introduced. Doubtless advocates of total
prohibition of heroin but of universal availability of nicotine and alcohol
to adults would oppose any such inquiry, frustrate any such trial and
prevent any such discussion.

Paul Drury, Giralang
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