Pubdate: Sat, 31 Oct 1998 Source: West Australian, The (Australia) Page: 30 Fax: +61 8 94823830 Author: Mark Irving Note: Errors as in original - ed. DRUG EXPERT URGES HEROIN TRIAL RETHINK DRUG expert David Penington said yesterday that the push for a heroin trial would continue because the need had not diminished. The problem of illicit drug use was as bad as ever, if not worse, Professor Penington said. A Swiss heroin trial had been a considerable success, The Netherlands was about to embark on a similar program and before long other countries would follow, he said. But Professor Penington conceded the issue was hard and unpopular for Australian politicians, and the community needed to understand why a different approach to combating illicit drugs was needed. "It's not a simple open-and-shut issue, and it (heroin trial) makes sense if we accept it as part of a step-by-step approach," he said. illicit drug use could not be stopped simply by law enforcement. Professor Penington, the former head of the Victorian Premier's Drug Advisory Council and now a drugs adviser to the capital cities' lord mayors, will be guest speaker at tomorrow's launch in Perth of the WA branch of the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation. Branch convener Jason Meotti said the foundation aimed to provide bipartisan support for progressive drug law reform. "Current policies have good intent but they are not having any impact on the demand, or ply, of heroin," he said. Mr Meotti was the architect of the controversial motion supporting a heroin trial which was passed in August at the National Party's State conference. Party leader and Deputy Premier Hendy Cowan promised after the conference that the motion would not be ignored. Mr Cowan said it would be passed to State Parliament's justice coordinating council, which he chaired. - --- Checked-by: Patrick Henry