Pubdate: Tuesday, August 18, 1998 Source: The West Australian Fax: +61 8 94823830 Author: Carina Tan-Van Baren, Canberra PRAISE FOR WA DRUG FIGHT THE WA Government has won a bouquet for its efforts in fighting drug and alcohol abuse, coming second only to the Northern Territory in a national report compiled by 220 drug experts. But its 44 per cent increase in spending, from $13.07 million in 1995-96 to $18.78 million in 1996-97 - per capita, $7.48 to $10.46- still represents only 5 per cent of WA's revenue from alcohol and tobacco taxes. The pattern is repeated around the nation, with most States and Territories spending less than 5 per cent of their alcohol and tobacco revenue on treating related problems. Alcohol and Other Drugs Council of Australia chief executive David Crosbie attacked the governments for not doing more to address a problem, estimated to cost Australia $18.8 billion a year. "If we were talking about a new cancer or food poisoning killing as many people as drug abuse does, I am sure governments would stop at nothing to address the problems," Mr Crosbie said. "Instead, most governments seem content to fiddle around the edges" According to a report commissioned by the AODCA and ranking State and Territory performances on 10 key areas of drug policy and programs, the top-ranking NT Government spent $74.04 per person in 1996-97 and the lowest, New South Wales. spent $6.60. The Federal Government, which was not ranked, spent $2 per person on drug programs. Despite its high ranking, WA still had scope for significant improvement in tackling serious problems such as the State's high rate of heroin-related overdoses, Mr Crosbie said. Eighty-three people died from suspected heroin overdoses in WA last year. Mr Crosbie also attacked the Federal Government's delay in releasing money from its $190 million, four-year Tough on Drug Strategy - first announced by Prime Minister John Howard in November -warning it could lose credibility on the issue. A spokesman for Federal Health Minister Michael Wooldridge denied money from the drug strategy was slow to flow, saying some had already been spent on research and treatment programs - --- Checked-by: Richard Lake