Pubdate: Mon, 31 May 1999 Source: Illawarra Mercury (Australia) Copyright: Illawarra Newspapers Contact: http://mercury.illnews.com.au/ DOCTORS BACK HEROIN TRIAL, SAFE INJECTING Australian doctors yesterday put themselves on a collision course with the Federal Government by backing a heroin trial. Prime Minister John Howard has opposed such a trial since it was first mooted by the ACT in 1996. But the Australian Medical Association national conference yesterday voted in favour of establishing trials of heroin on prescription as part of a comprehensive approach to treating addicts. AMA vice-president Sandra Hacker said the trials had to be considered as part of the battle against drugs. The doctors also gave cautious support to the safe injecting rooms being considered by the NSW Government as one of the recommendations of the recent drugs summit. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D