Pubdate: Tue, 12 Dec 2000
Source: Mercury, The (Australia)
Copyright: News Limited 2000
Contact:  93 Macquarie Street, Hobart, Tasmania 7000 Australia
Fax: (03) 62 300 711
Website: http://www.themercury.com.au/

DRUG PROGRAM MAY BE WIDENED

TASMANIA'S illicit drug diversion program may soon include abusers of 
legal drugs such as alcohol and pharmaceuticals.

In February Tasmania became the first state to adopt a scheme 
diverting illegal drug users from punishment to education and 
treatment.

About 429 people have gone through the scheme in the first eight months.

Under the strategy, cannabis users and first-time offenders of other 
illicit drugs are able to choose to take part in an assessment, 
education or treatment program instead of being charged.

National Council on Drugs chairman and Salvation Army major Brian 
Watters said a move to include the abuse of legal drugs, particularly 
alcohol, in the diversionary program was under discussion in Tasmania.

"Still the biggest problem we have is the misuse of alcohol," he said.

In Hobart yesterday to address the Tasmanian Early Intervention and 
Diversion Forum, Major Watters said assessment, counselling and 
treatment were the keys to the intervention programs.

"If a person is apprehended by police and they're a first-time 
offender, or an early offender, they can be directed into assessment, 
they can be given education material and if they reoffend they can be 
sent for counselling," he said.
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