Pubdate: Tue, 22 Sep 2009 Source: Age, The (Australia) Page: 3 Copyright: 2009 The Age Company Ltd Contact: http://www.theage.com.au/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5 Author: Julia Medew Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?131 (Heroin Maintenance) LEGALISE ADDICTS' HEROIN: EXPERTS AUSTRALIAN doctors should be allowed to prescribe heroin to long-term addicts to prevent fatal overdoses, crime and the spread of blood-borne viruses, leading addiction specialists say. Dr Alex Wodak, director of the alcohol and drug service at Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital, called for Canberra to investigate whether long-term addicts who fail rehabilitation programs should be given a last-resort option of receiving the drug on prescription. "This group may be 5 per cent of all heroin users, but they have the biggest habit, and they account for a disproportionate amount of the crime," he said. "They may also be the ones that recruit new users, so getting that group out of the street heroin market and into treatment will benefit everyone. It would also mean the rest of the community would experience less crime and pay lower insurance premiums as a result." He said although Australia had experienced heroin shortages over the past decade, it was still one of the most damaging drugs, with about 400 deaths a year. "This is close to the number of Australians who died during the Vietnam War. It's a lot of young lives to lose every year and shrug your shoulders at." Professor Jon Currie, director of addiction medicine at St Vincent's Health in Melbourne, supported the call, saying overseas research showed heroin prescription stabilised long-term problem users, improving their chances of recovery. "It's a bit like insulin for diabetics," he said. The call comes after Germany legalised the prescription of heroin in May, following a trial that found it reduced crime, blood-borne viruses and overdose fatalities in major cities over four years. The country's new laws allow people over 23, who have used heroin for more than five years and failed in rehabilitation, to receive the drug in specialised centres. Switzerland also introduced similar laws last year.