Pubdate: Thu, 08 Feb 2001
Source: Border Mail (Australia)
Copyright: 2001 Border Mail
Contact:  http://www.bordermail.com.au/
Author: Nick Higgins

DRUG FORUM ON BORDER ISSUES

The Border's drug problems will be tackled at a cross-border drug forum to 
be held in Albury-Wodonga on March 2.

Chief executive officer of the Upper Hume Community Health Service and 
forum co-organiser Ms Nicki Melville said the forum would investigate the 
key themes of prevention, enforcement, rehabilitation, treatment and education.

Ms Melville said the public would be invited to the forum, to be held at 
the Albury Performing Arts and Convention Centre, from 6pm to 8.30pm.

Ms Melville said Victorian and NSW police would address those at the forum 
and it was hoped Prof Margaret Hamilton would be the keynote speaker.

Prof Hamilton is the director of Turning Point, the Victorian drug and 
education organisation.

Before the public forum a professional development forum flwill be held at 
La Trobe University for health and community workers.

Ms Melville those involved in the forum included the Albury Community 
Health Centre, La Trobe and Charles Sturt universities, member for Benambra 
Mr Tony Plowman, the member for Albury Mr Ian Glachan, Wodonga Institute of 
TAFE, the Riverina College of TAFE, the Albury Drug Action Team and the 
Victorian Department of Human Services.

Ms Melville said the forum was first suggested by Mr Plowman, after 
researcher Dr David Penington made a presentation to the Victorian Parliament.

The Penington Report outlined a number of myths surrounding drug use, among 
them that "heroin use is bound to damage their (users) brains so they can 
never again be useful members of society".

The report said "heroin itself causes no damage to the brain apart from 
rapid development of dependency in most individuals who have used it 
repeatedly".
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager