UN applauds Aust drugs crackdown
Fri Jun 22, 2007 10:37pm AEST
Mr Costa has urged Australia to deal with drugs as a health issue, rather than a legal one. (ABC News: Giulio Saggin)
Audio: UN hails Aust drug strategy (PM) The top United Nations drugs bureaucrat has hailed Australia's national drug strategy as an example for others to follow but says there is more to be done.
The number of deaths caused by drug overdoses in Australia has fallen 70 per cent in the past eight years and the number of people using drugs has also slid.
The executive director of the UN's Office on Drugs and Crime, Antonio-Maria Costa, says Australia's drug policies have led to a large drop in the use of cocaine, heroin and amphetamines, although ecstasy use has risen.
Mr Costa says slowing drug use has taken a major political and financial commitment, but Australia is now on the right track.
But he warns the country still has a severe problem.
"We need a long commitment - political, financial, educational effort - to reduce it to the level that will be acceptable," he said.
Mr Costa says Australia still has ground to make up in dealing with drugs as a health issue, rather than a legal one.
He says there is about three times the amount of money spent on chasing drug criminals worldwide than helping their victims.
"Australia's commitment to improve the health assistance to addicts is good and growing," he said.
"I am pleading for a continuation of this policy so that Australia can reach the community of other nations that have indeed reduced the level of addictions to manageable and perhaps even lower levels in the future."
The UN will soon publish a review of Australia's national drug strategy so that other countries can learn from our experience.
The report to be released next week will declare the world's drug problem has been contained, with a stabilisation in the production, trafficking and use of the four major illicit drug groups.
Mr Costa says the report shows law enforcement has been more effective than people realise.
"It will confirm mounting evidence about the stabilisation of the world drug problem, whether we talk about production, cultivation, trafficking or addiction or consumption rates," he said.
"This applies to basically all major drugs."
