Pubdate: Thu, 15 Sep 2005
Source: Courier-Mail, The (Australia)
Copyright: 2005 Queensland Newspapers
Contact: http://thecouriermail.com.au/extras/forms/letter.htm
Website: http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/98
Author: Ron Corben, in Bangkok
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?137 (Needle Exchange)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Safe Injecting Rooms)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

WAR ON DRUGS 'SPARKS AIDS SPIKE'

AUSTRALIA has told Asian countries that tough tactics in their war on
drugs have accelerated the spread of HIV/AIDS in the region.

The warning came during a two-day seminar of senior police officers
from 12 Asian nations at the Thai seaside resort of Hua Hin.

Asian countries should pursue alternative harm-reduction programs,
such as needle and syringe exchanges, as well as voluntary
rehabilitation, Australian officials said today.

Many officers at the conference came from nations that punish drug
offenders and traffickers with long prison terms or the death penalty.

But Peter Mahomet, AusAid's Asia regional HIV/AIDS program manager,
said Asian police forces could learn from Australia's strategy of
reducing the spread of AIDS among injecting drug users.

"We're trying to encourage police to be supportive and allow injecting
drug users to access services that help reduce ... the HIV harm of
injecting drugs; providing access to clean needles and syringes to
avoid HIV transmission," Mr Mahomet said.

Mr Mahomet, who is based in Hanoi, Vietnam, said Asia's "get tough"
drug reduction methods were failing.

Up to 80 per cent of those placed in involuntary rehabilitation
centres returned to drugs after trying to give up through cold-turkey
methods, he said.

"They spend a lot of money at involuntary rehabilitation centres and
as soon as they get out they start using again," he said.

In Thailand, South China, Vietnam and Burma, which have drug
trafficking routes, as many as 60 per cent injecting drug users have
HIV.

"If we carry on with the current drug-supply reduction strategy and
drug-demand reduction strategies, HIV will continue to flourish," he
said. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake