Source: Canberra Times (Australia) 
Contact:  http://www.canberratimes.com.au/ 
Pubdate: Thu, 24 Dec 1998 
Author: John E. Miller, National Secretary, Australian Christian Coalition 

MANY PROBLEMS IN HEROIN-INJECTING-ROOM PLAN

FROM personal experience, heroin addiction is horrific. However, Michael
Moore's heroin-injecting-room proposal is littered with problems. These
include:

(1) the Government becoming involved in the trade of illicit substances;

(2) the possibility of attracting interstate addicts to Canberra;

(3) the possibility of generating new addicts within Canberra;

(4) the problem of locating the injecting room;

(5) the difficulty in managing not only heroin, but also cocaine,
barbiturates and hallucinogens et cetera;

(6) the problem of users loitering, dealing, coming, going and driving;

(7) the problem of possible staff addiction;

(8) the problem of being at odds with current smoking and alcohol campaigns;

(9) the disregard of Australia's international commitments and

(10) the problem of decommissioning shooting galleries.

If Mr Moore's proposal is accepted, which in turn will make illicit drug
use more socially acceptable, possible motivation by users to quit will be
further reduced. Schemes focusing on the maintenance of drug use (such as
Canberra's rapidly expanding methadone program) and this de facto promotion
proposal should not be the foundations for our drug policies.

At a meeting of Australian health ministers it was proposed that Canberra
commence a trial of the heroin detoxification treatment, Naltrexone. That
trial, scheduled to start six months ago, never happened.

John E. Miller
National Secretary 
Australian Christian Coalition 
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Checked-by: Richard Lake