Pubdate: Mon, 05 Aug 2013 Source: Star, The (South Africa) Copyright: Independent Newspapers 2013 Contact: http://www.thestar.co.za/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/423 Author: Vuyo Mkize WOULD LEGALISING DRUGS BE A SOLUTION? NEEDLE exchange for drug addicts. Shooting galleries. Drug substitution therapy. These are just some of the practices associated with the internationally controversial "harm reduction" philosophy, which has NGOs working with drug addicts angered over the possible damage implementing such a strategy could have on increasing drug dependency in the country. The National Drug Master Plan 2013-2017 was approved by the cabinet on June 26 this year, to be implemented with immediate effect by the Central Drug Authority (CDA). And harm reduction as well as supply-and-demand reduction is one of the strategies that will be applied. The CDA was established as an advisory body in terms of the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act (Act No 70 of 2008). The plan expressly states that the term "harm reduction" should be replaced in the country by the term "harm prevention" or a similar term. But this has not been debated publicly yet. The plan states: "The debate is based on the view that harm-reduction practices appear to condone drug use and that, in medical terms, the action taken should be seen to be preventive. "In light of the UNODC (UN Office on Drugs and Crime) discussion in this regard, and the use by the UNODC of the term 'harm reduction', the CDA has decided to use this term in the interim. "The term and its meaning are, however, still under discussion, and unravelling the issues concerned will form part of the activities of the CDA in the 2013-17 term of office." However, for Johan Claassen, from Doctors For Life, the government's "stubborn promotion" of the controversial strategy is "beyond logic". He said: "Whatever the version, the harm-reduction philosophy remains the same in the (national drug master plan) as when used internationally." Legalising dagga and the use of methadone as a substitution therapy are some of the methods countries around the world adopted as part of their harm-reduction strategies. Claassen argued that in Scotland, the methadone failure rate was 97 percent. It had cost the country UKP30 million and the number of methadone addicts had increased by 400 percent in a decade. "Some countries, such as Scotland, used methadone to supposedly wean addicts off harder drugs, but that's absolute madness. More people are dying from methadone than heroin... And with a policy such as harm reduction, which basically says 'they are addicts and will use (drugs) anyway, rather they do it safely', we as Doctors For Life say no, the policy should be that of abstinence," he said. "Holland has been closing down its so-called coffee shops, where recreational dagga use was allowed because, as explained in a letter from the Dutch minister of health and justice: "This law will put an end to the nuisance of criminality associated with 'coffee shops' and drugs trafficking'," he continued. However, the CDA's Peter Ucko said the implementation of the philosophy in the country wouldn't be so cut and dried. "Reducing harm means reducing use as well... and also reducing harm to communities. It is a package... and part of the legislation of the (national drug master plan) is that activities should be in municipalities, so mayors are responsible for establishing local drug action committees, and that falls under the provincial substance abuse forum. We aim to get closer to the people and deal with the drug scourge at a local level." "The idea behind this is that cannabis users do not need to buy their soft drugs from a dealer operating illegally, which would increase their chances of coming into contact with hard drugs," it said. "The Netherlands pursues a policy of toleration. This means that, though possessing and selling soft drugs are misdemeanours, prosecutions are usually not brought." - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom