Pubdate: Mon, 25 Jun 2001
Source: West Australian (Australia)
Copyright: 2001 West Australian Newspapers Limited
Contact:  http://www.thewest.com.au
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/495
Author: Arnold Jago

NO HANDOUTS

A HEROIN trial would involve providing, on average, three injections a day 
for an addict. Trained staff for round-the-clock service could cost as much 
as $10,000 a year for each addict.*

One might justify this expense if users were getting off drugs, but in the 
Swiss heroin trials, only 7 per cent of participants even attempted 
abstinence therapy.*

Australia's Salvation Army rehabilitation programs do better than that - 
with 24 per cent abstinence rates.*

Heroin handouts would be a step backwards.

(*From Drug Precipice, edited by Athol Moffitt, UNSW Press, 1998, appendix 
C, page 203).

ARNOLD JAGO,

Mildura.
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