Pubdate: Wed, 21 Feb 2007
Source: Age, The (Australia)
Copyright: 2007 The Age Company Ltd
Contact:  http://www.theage.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5
Author: Jane Holroyd
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

ICE WAR 'A DISASTER'

A drugs expert has labelled the Bracks Government's plan to tackle 
ice and amphetamine use among Victorians as a knee-jerk reaction to 
the media's treatment of the subject.

Bill Stronach, chief executive of the Australian Drug Foundation, 
said he was disappointed about revelations that the Premier, Steve 
Bracks, plans to divert $14 million from current heroin programs to 
bolster efforts to tackle growing amphetamine use.

Mr Bracks and new Mental Health Minister, Lisa Neville, will this 
morning launch a new offensive against amphetamines, including police 
programs to target ice dealers, funding for aggressive treatment 
programs and a study on the impact of parents' amphetamine use on children.

The Government's plan to tackle amphetamine use includes a 
"confronting" advertising campaign detailing the side-effects of ice 
use. A taskforce will also be established to develop long-term 
strategies to tackle amphetamine use.

In a press release, Mr Bracks said new laws would also target 
amphetamine makers and dealers.

The Premier said a new law that came into effect yesterday banned the 
possession of a pill press without lawful cause, with offenders 
facing a penalty of up to five years' imprisonment or a fine of about $60,000.

Mr Stronach said while more people were using ice, which he described 
as a high-risk drug, there was not an epidemic that justified the 
diversion of funds from heroin treatment.

"I'm ambivalent. We have to keep the ice issue in perspective and 
recognise that it's not an epidemic," Mr Stronach told theage.com.au.

"It causes some serious problems, so on one hand I'm glad the 
Government is addressing it and looking particularly at ways we can 
best treat people who have got real problems with it. But on the 
other hand I'm very concerned because they're talking about taking 
$14 million away from heroin treatment programs and I think that's a disaster."

Heroin deaths have fallen from 186 in 2001-02 to 43 in the past 
financial year, while deaths from amphetamines have risen from 32 to 
39 over the same period.

Mr Stronach said while heroin use had decreased, there were about 
12,000 Victorians on methadone to treat heroin.

"(Heroin use) has dropped because we've put money into services and 
if you don't maintain those services the problems are likely to 
re-emerge," he said.

"We just can't afford to move money from one area - rob Peter to pay 
Paul. If they could find new money to treat ice that would be even better.

"Ice has been around for a while, amphetamines have been around for a 
long while, but we have seen a bit of an increase in ice use and it's 
certainly captured the popular and the media attention," he said.

"Two years ago we were (obsessed) with ecstasy use. Before that it 
was heroin. I think this emphasis on ice right now is short-sighted 
because in a couple of years' time it will be some new drug."
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