Pubdate: Wed, 5 May 1999
Source: Illawarra Mercury (Australia)
Copyright: Illawarra Newspapers
Contact:  http://mercury.illnews.com.au/
Author: Lisa Carty

DRUG ROOM SENDS WRONG MESSAGE

Sydney's new illegal drug injecting room is based on seriously flawed
logic.

Those supporting the so-called Tolerance Room in the Wayside Chapel at
Kings Cross argue that it will give users access to medical help and
advice.

They have conveniently ignored the fact that that information and help
is freely available now, and it does not seem to have made much difference.

Part of the rationale of the needle exchange (ie giveaway) program is
that it brings users and health professionals together in a
non-threatening environment. That is supposed to provide an
opportunity for those seeking to get off drugs to get the help they
need.

How many users have beaten their addiction because of the advice
offered at needle exchanges, where workers adhere to a strict
softly-softly approach?

These services have proliferated and yet the drug problem is getting
worse and worse.

If needle exchange programs are failing in this part of their charter,
what hope is there that injecting rooms will be able to fill the gap?

Injecting rooms don't address the issue of supply, and they send the
wrong message.

There is no doubt that they create the impression that society is
giving tacit approval to the use of illegal drugs.

What other message could possibly be drawn from a church actively
soliciting for people to break the law within its grounds?

Symbolism is a very important part of setting behavioural and legal
standards. Otherwise, the issue of apologising to the stolen
generation of Aboriginal children would never have been an issue.

And the republic and the flag and the question of who will open the
Sydney Olympic Games would be of no interest at all.

Injecting rooms send a clear message that society, at the very least,
is prepared to turn a blind eye to the use of illegal drugs. Those
behind the establishment of the Tolerance Room are misguided and would
have been better to wait for the outcome of the drug summit in State
Parliament which starts in less than two weeks
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