Flexistentialist
Bluelight Crew
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http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s834904.htmThursday, April 17, 2003. 5:12pm
C'wealth rejects needle exchange restrictions
Australia has rejected a push by the United States to restrict the use of needle exchange programs.
The US has made the call during a meeting of justice ministers at a United Nations commission on drugs conference in Vienna.
Members of the European Parliament have also called for the relaxation of the "tough on drugs regime", to allow heroin trials and the legal use of cannabis.
This has been rejected by the majority of representatives, including Australia's Justice Minister, Chris Ellison.
But Senator Ellison says Australia cannot support the United States move against needle exchanges.
"In Russia where there is no needle exchange program, needles are responsible for over 90 per cent of the transmission of HIV AIDS," he said.
"Now in Germany where you do have a needle exchange program, only 4 per cent of the transmission of HIV AIDS is by way of needles.
When there is 50-70% prevalence of HIV amongst injectors in some US cities, how can they try and tell us what to do?
Australia has had consistently low rates of HIV amongst injectors (around 2-4%) since the introduction of needle and syringe programs across the country.
I'm glad our gov had some balls for once