Pubdate: Fri, 08 Feb 2002
Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Australia Web)
Copyright: 2002 Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Contact:  http://www.abc.net.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/34

DRUG REFORM GROUP RENEWS CALLS FOR HEROIN TRIAL

There are new calls for the Prime Minister, John Howard, to reverse his 
opposition to a heroin trial in Canberra.

The Families and Friends of Drug Law Reform president, Brian McConnell, 
says the results of a Dutch study have shown very good results after the 
use of prescription heroin.

The government study found supervised co-prescription of heroin and 
methadone was more effective than methadone alone and that improvements in 
health and reductions in criminal activities were evident very quickly.

Mr McConnell says the study should also allay Mr Howard's concerns about 
the results of an earlier Swiss study, which showed the same results, but 
did not have a control group.

"The Dutch trial has had a control group on methadone only and compared 
that with the experimental group that was on methadone and heroin and the 
results were very positive and demonstrated beyond doubt that heroin 
prescription did improve the health and social functioning," he said. 
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