Pubdate: Fri, 26 May 2000 Source: Canberra Times (Australia) Copyright: 2000 Canberra Times Contact: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/ Author: B. McConnell Note: The writer is President of Families and Friends for Drug Law Reform SOUL-SEARCHING LED TO QUEST FOR ALTERNATIVES THE FUNERAL of David Green was held on Wednesday of last week. That he was well known was demonstrated by the many people who attended the funeral. David during his life did not receive a knighthood nor any of the usual public acknowledgements but he may have triggered a series of events that may prove to save many lives. When one of his sons died from a heroin overdose in 1995, David was instrumental in starting the group Families and Friends for Drug Law Reform and became the group's first chairman. He wanted to make a difference and did not want other parents to suffer the same tragedy. It was this singular act that encouraged other parents to overcome the stigma of a drug-related death and to speak out about these needless and tragic deaths. He showed that those who succumbed to drugs were much loved despite their sometimes chaotic existence a more compassionate approach than existed at that time. The Legislative Assembly's Speaker, Greg Cornwell, is reported in The Canberra times (May 15) as saying parents of drug users or parents who have lost a child to drugs should do some soul-searching. Presumably so that they will arrive at the, often repeated and often failed, solutions he has in mind. I believe that David did search his soul. A tragedy of such personal magnitude could hardly fail to cause one to do so. At the funeral, one of his sons declared that David did not die of a heart attack as officially recorded, but of a broken heart because of the unnecessary death of his son. But David did more than search his soul he came to the conclusion that alternative approaches were necessary and he took action. Vale, David. B. McConnell President, Families and Friends for Drug Law Reform, Higgins - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D