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From the canberra times http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=news&subclass=national&category=general%20news&story_id=64264
Heroin: tide is turning
By Peter Clack
DRAMATIC falls in heroin overdose rates in Canberra and elsewhere across Australia have given new hope that the war on drugs is turning.
Since New Year, heroin call-outs by paramedics in capital cities have fallen to uprecedented levels.
The ACT Ambulance Service attended only three heroin call-outs in June compared with 50 in August last year, with more than 40 on most months.
Call-outs for all drug types in the ACT have also fallen, from 153 in August to 45 last month.
Details of the abrupt nature of the fall follows news this week that Chief Minister Gary Humphries was considering a proposal to hold a refrendum on drugs at the ACT election on October 20, including asking voters whether the territory should run a supervised heroin injection room.
ACT Ambulance Service clinical coordinator Ross Findlay said the falls appeared to be "unprecedented and sustained".
However, with a widespread shortage of heroin, drug addicts are also turning to other substances: cheaper cocaine and ecstasy are being offered as substitutes and others were turning to alcohol or prescription drugs.
"We are seeing a definite increase in prescription drug overdoses and alcohol-related domestic violence. We are seeing a far uglier face of domestic and social violence, due to alcohol abuse," Mr Findlay said.
Elsewhere, the NSW Ambulance Service reports Cabramatta's heroin overdose rates falling to only two in April from 77 in September last year. Recently, Sydney's rates fell from an average of 70 a day to 17 and Melbourne's from 80 to 10.
AFP Commissioner Mick Keelty said the experience was not isolated to Canberra and it reflected exacting work by a large number of federal police and Customs agents since the introduction of the National Illicit Drug Strategy in November, 1997.
"It has been a turn-around in policing where there has been a lot of thought given to global operations and how to get maximum impact," Mr Keelty said.
"This works to improve the quality of life for Australians and to give our young people a future."
Independent MLA Paul Osborne said law enforcement had been very decisive: "You can't say it is just a health issue, it is also a law enforcement issue.
"It is very clear that when you pour money into law enforcement, it does have a decisive impact."
The reduction in the supply of heroin is forcing street prices around Canberra to high levels. A cap of heroin (a hit) has jumped from $25 to $300. It is still unclear what the impact of huge rises in the price of heroin might have for property crime in Canberra.
Drug abuse has claimed 70 lives in Canberra since 1993 and at least 1000 overdose emergencies each year. Nationally, the annual death rate from drug overdoses has reached more than 700.
Heroin: tide is turning
By Peter Clack
DRAMATIC falls in heroin overdose rates in Canberra and elsewhere across Australia have given new hope that the war on drugs is turning.
Since New Year, heroin call-outs by paramedics in capital cities have fallen to uprecedented levels.
The ACT Ambulance Service attended only three heroin call-outs in June compared with 50 in August last year, with more than 40 on most months.
Call-outs for all drug types in the ACT have also fallen, from 153 in August to 45 last month.
Details of the abrupt nature of the fall follows news this week that Chief Minister Gary Humphries was considering a proposal to hold a refrendum on drugs at the ACT election on October 20, including asking voters whether the territory should run a supervised heroin injection room.
ACT Ambulance Service clinical coordinator Ross Findlay said the falls appeared to be "unprecedented and sustained".
However, with a widespread shortage of heroin, drug addicts are also turning to other substances: cheaper cocaine and ecstasy are being offered as substitutes and others were turning to alcohol or prescription drugs.
"We are seeing a definite increase in prescription drug overdoses and alcohol-related domestic violence. We are seeing a far uglier face of domestic and social violence, due to alcohol abuse," Mr Findlay said.
Elsewhere, the NSW Ambulance Service reports Cabramatta's heroin overdose rates falling to only two in April from 77 in September last year. Recently, Sydney's rates fell from an average of 70 a day to 17 and Melbourne's from 80 to 10.
AFP Commissioner Mick Keelty said the experience was not isolated to Canberra and it reflected exacting work by a large number of federal police and Customs agents since the introduction of the National Illicit Drug Strategy in November, 1997.
"It has been a turn-around in policing where there has been a lot of thought given to global operations and how to get maximum impact," Mr Keelty said.
"This works to improve the quality of life for Australians and to give our young people a future."
Independent MLA Paul Osborne said law enforcement had been very decisive: "You can't say it is just a health issue, it is also a law enforcement issue.
"It is very clear that when you pour money into law enforcement, it does have a decisive impact."
The reduction in the supply of heroin is forcing street prices around Canberra to high levels. A cap of heroin (a hit) has jumped from $25 to $300. It is still unclear what the impact of huge rises in the price of heroin might have for property crime in Canberra.
Drug abuse has claimed 70 lives in Canberra since 1993 and at least 1000 overdose emergencies each year. Nationally, the annual death rate from drug overdoses has reached more than 700.
