Source: Canberra Times (Australia) Contact: Website: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/ Pubdate: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 Author: Peter Smith 'SHOOTING GALLERIES' HELP REDUCE CRIME I FOUND myself amazed that I actually agreed with Michael Moore for once ("Drug-war first for ACT likely", CT, 10 August, p.1). How do you solve a problem like heroin addiction? Sure, shooting galleries may not seem like the answer. The fact is they are not; but nobody in this debate is saying they are. At present they are only part of the best strategy to help combat this problem. By allowing people to legally "shoot up" we are reducing crime. Crimes that help pay the corpulent prices demanded by the drug dealers. The present system only helps one group, the drug dealers. We have the choice. Let's fight this war against heroin with real weapons that can make a difference, not stand behind our picket fences with a water pistol hoping that the problem goes away. Peter Smith Narrabundah - --- Checked-by: Richard Lake