NEWS: The Age - 18/07/2006 'Greens offer heroin in rehab plan'

[hoptis]

Greens offer heroin in rehab plan
Mathew Murphy
July 18, 2006

HEROIN would be imported into Australia and prescribed to long-time addicts, while criminal penalties would be abolished for illicit drug users under the Victorian Greens' drugs policy.

In a policy that the party said was focused on minimising harm, medically supervised heroin injecting rooms would also be tested across the state in a bid to help reform drug addicts.

Under the proposal, the Victorian Drugs Policy Research Institute would be established to evaluate the trial of injecting rooms and the prescription of clinically produced heroin to addicts. It would also take on a broader role in evaluating drugs policy and compiling research into the effects of drug use across Victoria.

Greens drugs policy spokeswoman Colleen Hartland said current methods of treating drug addiction were not working and more research was needed into what other jurisdictions were doing to ease the problem.

"You don't have to reinvent the wheel, you look at what's worked (elsewhere) and you apply those principles," she said.

Ms Hartland, the Greens candidate for the upper house seat of Western Metropolitan, said she expected a trial of the benefits of prescribed heroin would need to run for about two years and involve a small sample group.

"It is not legalising heroin," she said.

"What you are saying is that there are certain people that may need to have heroin prescribed, and it is a trial to see how it would work."

Ms Hartland said heroin injecting rooms in Victoria would be similar to the one in Sydney's Kings Cross and would not go ahead in an area unless it had sufficient community support.

Victorians caught using illicit drugs such as marijuana, ecstasy and speed would be spared a jail term and instead face sanctions, such as counselling and rehabilitation orders.

Richard Di Natale, the Greens' health adviser, said people not attending counselling would be fined. Jail was a last resort.

Dr Di Natale said that, while the system would attempt to rehabilitate drug users, their suppliers would face harsher penalties.

"Let's make it also clear that the sale and trafficking of all illicit drugs will continue to (carry) criminal penalties," he said.

Premier Steve Bracks rejected the Greens' proposal to scrap criminal sanctions for drug use, but stopped short of saying it would prevent Labor from exchanging preferences with the minor party at the November election.

He said it was important that laws deterred young people from using drugs.

Opposition health spokeswoman Helen Shardey said the Liberals supported neither prescribing heroin nor injecting rooms. But, she said, measures were needed to help people get off drugs.

"We need good programs for detoxification and, if necessary, the use of drugs like methadone so people can reclaim their lives and come off (heroin)," she said. "We think injecting rooms would have a 'honey pot' effect of encouraging far more usage. The other question, of course, is where do the Greens think they are going to get heroin from to prescribe? Are they going to go and buy it on the blackmarket?"

With PAUL AUSTIN

From The Age

 

[hoptis]

Of course the Herald Sun has a different take on it.

Addicts get free drugs
Jacqueline Freegard and Ellen Whinnett
July 18, 2006 12:00am

HARDCORE heroin addicts would be given taxpayer-funded drugs under a controversial policy unveiled by the Greens.

The drugs policy would also abolish all criminal sanctions for drug users, who would instead be required to undergo counselling, detox and rehabilitation programs.

The policy, released yesterday by the party that could win the balance of power in the Upper House on November 25, flagged trials to provide free heroin to long-term users in a bid to wean them off the drug.

And injecting rooms for addicts would open across Victoria.

The policy has been denounced by police and major political parties.

But Greens candidate Colleen Hartland said it was a responsible policy that would save lives.

"I think it's a sensible way of looking at drugs from a health perspective," Ms Hartland said.

"If you don't have these kinds of policies the only choice people end up with is often prison, and that doesn't work."

Victorian law states it is an offence for a person to have in their possession a drug of dependence.

A person is charged with trafficking if caught with more than 250g of cannabis or more than 6g of amphetamines.

The Greens have no plans to change the charges relating to commercial amounts of drugs.

Ms Hartland said providing heroin to users was not legalising the drug.

"What you are saying is there are certain people who may need to have heroin prescribed," she said.

Greens health spokesman Richard di Natale said the heroin would be imported from overseas.

"I can't tell you specifically where that is, except to say it's available," Dr di Natale said.

"It's manufactured as a pharmaceutical product.

"There are heroin trials that have happened all around the world (but) not in Australia."

Premier Steve Bracks rejected the drug policy.

"It is not a policy which is a deterrent in use of drugs by young people," Mr Bracks said.

"I certainly do not support that policy at all."

But Mr Bracks did not rule out doing a preference deal with the Greens for the November 25 polls.

Under the Greens policy, users caught outside injecting rooms would be required by a court to attend education and health programs.

More Government funds would be put into drug programs, with plans to examine the need for injecting rooms.

Ms Hartland would not say which suburbs were in need of injecting rooms.

The Police Association was concerned about ending criminal sanctions against drug users.

Association secretary Paul Mullett said the Greens should be turning their attention to commercial and street-level heroin dealers.

"We would not want to see a move towards decriminalisation," Sen-Sgt Mullett said.

But he said the expanded needle exchange program had some merit.

Opposition health spokeswoman Helen Shardey said she was deeply concerned by the policy.

"This is a policy fraught with danger and sends a bad message to people who are trying to get off drugs," Ms Shardey said.

From Herald Sun

 

[ayjay]

The Age article does make the mistake of talking about "heroin" injecting rooms - people would be able to inject their drug of choice, not specifically heroin.

Politicians from both Labor and Liberal parties should be ashamed of themselves for their inability to embrace evidence based approaches to drug use because of their fear that it might lose them votes. It actually indicates their low regard for the average citizen - easier to play on fears based on lack of/erroneous information.

Full marks to the Greens for putting principles first - there's still the faintest breath of life in democracy while parties of their ilk are around.

 

[ilikeacid]

HARDCORE heroin addicts would be given taxpayer-funded drugs under a controversial policy unveiled by the Greens.

8( 8(

Not Hardcore addicts with taxpayer funded heroin!! Oh god what next! Think of the children! 8)

About time an Australian Political party publicly proposed to decriminailse users! How the fuck is throwing stoners and pill heads in jail gonna turn them from their "wicked ways"?! What kind of message does that send...
"if you choose to do drugs, we would rather see your life get worse by locking you up in an institution than trying to help you to kick your habit"

Once again Bob Brown is our saviour! Fuck the libs and labour!

 

[ilikeacid]

Originally posted by ayjay
It actually indicates their low regard for the average citizen - easier to play on fears based on lack of/erroneous information.

Here, Here! Gotta love gutless, vote chasing political parties! More interested than satisfying their desire for more votes than actually doing whats right

 

[phase_dancer]

"We would not want to see a move towards decriminalisation," Sen-Sgt Mullett said.

I'm sure they wouldn't. There would be so many out of a job....


So, heroin would be purchased overseas and imported into Australia? Surely that provides far more opportunity for diversion to occur? Tasmania boasts a large opioid industry, producing high quality products and quite capable of producing the heroin required. With the relatively short transport distances involved, one would think this would be more economically feasible and certainly provide less opportunity for diversion

There's just so many morally based arguments with this topic. Heroin carries a particular stigma, and most conservative politicians wouldn't want to be remotely associated with it's approval. Similar arguments no doubt also exist in regards to preparing heroin in Australia.

I welcome the Greens stance on the topic. IMO, giving heroin to users via an injecting clinic would have significant potential to reduce use, and certainly aid in weaning some off the drug. Methadone certainly doesn't work for many. I just can't believe the doses some users are prescribed.

 

[satricion]

I love the comment from the Liberal party that the Greens would just go and buy smack on the black market...

Heroin is still used as a painkiller in Britain, and as PD said Tasmania grows heaps of poppies for legitimate use...You'd just make heroin instead of oxy or morphine or whatever.

I think the main problem with the Greens' approach is that they don't realise that the reason there are no effective long term 'cures' for drug addiction is that people stop taking drugs when they want to. You can't 'cure' people, they have to be sick of being high all the time, and stop of their own accord. Programs like methadone and bupe help, but they're not 'cures', and neither is prescribed heroin.

 

[hoptis]

Heroin policy 'loopy'
Ben Packham and Ashley Gardiner
July 19, 2006 12:00am

THE Federal Government would stop any moves to supply heroin to addicts under a plan put forward by the Australian Greens.

Labelling the Greens' policy unworkable, federal Health Minister Tony Abbott said the Government would never allow importing heroin for addicts.

Mr Abbott said the policy was "loopy stuff" and called on the State Government to make it clear it would not deal with the party.

The Greens want to provide free heroin to long-term users, create injecting rooms across Victoria, and scrap penalties for drug possession.

Premier Steve Bracks has rejected the plan.

Victorian Greens health spokesman Richard Di Natale said he was not surprised by Mr Abbott's opposition to the policy.

From Herald Sun

 

[Prince Planet]

This is really interesting, a number of years ago in the ACT several years of evidenced based research was conducted and basically the proposal was to supply problematic heroin users with prescribed heroin. The proposal initially was to be a trial but like many good proposals it was scuttled by the conservative sending the wrong message school of rhetorical crap. There was a mountain of evidence to support the proposal. Google search Gabrielle Bammer in the ACT. One piece describes the feds decision to scuttle it despite al the medical evidence. http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/oct6/wodak/wodak.html#refbody3

 

[Tronica]

Victoria Green's new state drug policy can be downloaded from here

 

[Tronica]

I'll quote the full policy here so we can discuss it directly (instead of its meanings being filtered through our media).

Australian Greens Victoria
2006 Victorian Election
Policy Statement
Rescue the Future
Drugs (Tobacco, Alcohol and Illicit Drugs)

1. Background
Both legal and illegal drugs have the potential for harm. Alcohol and tobacco cause by far the greatest burden of ill-health and disease, and stronger regulation is necessary to minimise the harms associated with these drugs. While illicit drug use is also associated with significant harm, some of this harm is a direct consequence of the current framework for dealing with illicit drugs. The Greens understand that complex regulatory responses are required, and that all measures must be based on the best available evidence.

2. Principles
The Victorian Greens believe:
2.1 The regulation of illegal drugs is best addressed within a health framework.
2.2 The use of illegal and legal drugs (including alcohol and tobacco) has the
potential for a range of adverse health, social and economic harms.
2.3 Some regulatory approaches to deal with illicit drugs also have the potential for harm.
2.4 The aim of drug policy should be to reduce deaths, disease, crime and corruption resulting from drug use.
2.5 A harm minimisation approach is a proven way to reduce the negative effects of drug use and drug regulation.
2.6 Information and education programs about drug-related issues should be widely available, to enable informed debate about the effects of all drugs.
2.7 All measures to deal with illicit drugs should be evidence-based and subject to continuous evaluation.

3. Goals

3.1 Legally Available Drugs

The Victorian Greens will work towards:
3.1.1 Banning all advertising and all sponsorship of tobacco products.
3.1.2 Replacing the existing self-regulatory system for alcohol advertising with an independent statutory body.
3.1.3 Ensuring, through the independent advertising regulator, that alcohol advertising is not targeted at young people.
3.1.4 Banning advertising promotions for alcohol that encourage excessive drinking.
3.1.5 Improving enforcement of liquor licensing.
3.1.6 Strengthening and enforcing server responsibility legislation.
3.1.7 Ensuring that licensees who allow staff to continue serving intoxicated patrons are penalised and are liable for damages.
3.1.8 Establishing a benchmark for liquor outlet density, hours of opening, and licensing conditions.
3.1.9 Banning donations from the tobacco and alcohol industry to political parties.
3.1.10 Banning smoking in defined public spaces (similar to the Queensland model).
3.1.11 Reviewing, and possibly increasing, serious penalties for driving while under the influence of alcohol and other drugs that impair cognitive or psychomotor skills.

3.2 Illicit Drugs

The Victorian Greens will work towards:
3.2.1.Establishing a Victorian Drugs Policy Research Institute, to be part of an Australian network to undertake research trials and evaluate drug policy.
3.2.2.Funding the Victorian Drugs Policy Research Institute to evaluate treatment programs for heroin dependant users, including medically supervised injection spaces (based on the NSW model) and medically prescribed heroin for treatment resistant users (based on international models such as the Swiss model).
3.2.3.Replacing criminal penalties for personal drug use with a system of civil remedies (such as education, counselling and treatment) with measures
commensurate with specific cases and circumstances.
3.2.4.Continuing criminal penalties for the supply and/or possession of commercial quantities of illegal drugs.
3.2.5.Regulating the use of cannabis for specified medical purposes.
3.2.6.Increasing, as a sentencing alternative, the availability of diversion to rehabilitation and treatment programs for people convicted of crimes committed
to support a personal addiction to drugs.
3.2.7.Increasing funding for drug detoxification and drug withdrawal programs.
3.2.8.Providing incentives to increase the number of drug substitution prescribers.
3.2.9.Providing subsidies to treatment programs for all new clients accessing drug substitution treatments.
3.2.10.Increasing the availability of needle and syringe exchange programs, including in all Victorian prisons.
3.2.11.Ensuring parity of pay between the alcohol and drug sector, and other health sectors.
3.2.12.Increasing recruitment and retention incentives for staff in the alcohol and drug sector.
3.2.13.Indexing funding to the alcohol and drug sector, to ensure that funding levels keeps pace with the increased cost of services.
3.2.14.Increasing funding for Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre.
3.2.15.Significantly expanding dual diagnosis programs, to ensure better integration and staff capacity.
3.2.16.Providing specialist services for people over 45 years who have substance dependence or abuse.
3.2.17.Providing greater support for families of people undergoing drug treatment.
3.2.18.Improving transition programs for drug dependent persons released from prison.

 

[Tronica]

I'd say the most important point for most people here is "Replacing criminal penalties for personal drug use with a system of civil remedies (such as education, counselling and treatment) with measures commensurate with specific cases and circumstances." This is very sensible policy IMHO.

 

[phase_dancer]

Victorian Greens health spokesman Richard Di Natale said he was not surprised by Mr Abbott's opposition to the policy.

Who would be? This is the man [?] who has decided there should be no overweight kids - that they should be singled out, even weighed in front of their classmates - that the Catholic church should impose it's values upon non-christians, that woman shouldn't have the right to controlling their own lives and bodies, .....and that illicit drug use is to be abolished at any cost.

The Abbott style of politician appears to be setting the stage for the next generation of dictating Liberal politicians, those "Shut the Fuck Up" Young Right Liberals led by Catholic Liberal David Clarke.

 

[Prince Planet]

You can't 'cure' people, they have to be sick of being high all the time, and stop of their own accord.

Interesting piece of research to support this:

http://www.nta.nhs.uk/publications/docs/RB20 Addiction careers and the natural history of change.pdf

 

[Tronica]

Who would be? .... The Abbott style of politician appears to be setting the stage for the next generation of dictating Liberal politicians, those "Shut the Fuck Up" Young Right Liberals led by Catholic Liberal David Clarke.

The reaction to this from mainstream media and politicians is certainly unsurprising - I agree.

What has been refreshing for me is that the Vic Greens decided to launch this policy - I remember a thread in here perhaps last year where Greens were talking about watering down their drug policy. Perhaps they have slightly as I do remember an earlier policy mentioning controlled supply of recreational drugs. Perhaps it needed a slight bit of watering down... still says what it should

 

[ozbollocks]

Yea its says exactly what it should. Why aren't we all voting green?

3.1.9 Banning donations from the tobacco and alcohol industry to political parties.

This one isn't surprising given their lenient stance though 8)

 

[hoptis]

The Greens on drugs
EDITORIAL
July 19, 2006 12:00am

THE only reason for taking the Greens seriously is that this party could hold the balance of power after the Victorian election in November.

It could happen because of the Bracks Government's changes to the system of electing Legislative Council MPs.

Thus, the major parties may have to do preference deals with the Greens and also rely on their support in the Upper House.

The Greens' controversial and typically vague drugs policy contains initiatives that send a negative message.

The policy would give hardcore heroin addicts imported taxpayer-funded drugs but fails to explain how they could be brought in without Canberra's approval.

Injecting rooms would be set up and, in a further soft option, possession of heroin and other drugs for personal use would be decriminalised.

The Greens seem to be claiming credit for discovering that drug abuse is a health problem; but this is a reality already accepted by all political parties.

The proposal that users be required to undergo counselling, detox, rehabilitation and education programs has merit.

But it fails to detail what sanctions would apply to drug-affected individuals who ignored the direction.

Opposition health spokeswoman Helen Shardey described the policy as being "fraught with danger".

Not least for the Greens.

From Herald Sun

 

[hoptis]

NEWS: Herald Sun - 23/10/2006 'Family First's druggie remedy'

[EDIT: Threads merged. hoptis]

Family First's druggie remedy
October 23, 2006 12:00am

Tough stance: Chris Willis and Cameron Eastman of Family First. Picture: Nicki Connolly

COURTS would be able to order drug addicts into a minimum three-month rehabilitation under Family First's drug policy.

Lead candidate Cameron Eastman said the party would fund further research into Naltrexone implants, which are used to treat heroin addiction, and provide more funding for residential rehabilitation.

Mr Eastman said the Greens' plan to provide safe injecting rooms would do nothing to stop people taking drugs.

"We need to be tough on policing the drug trade and do everything we can to deter people," he said.

Herald Sun

 

[hoptis]

Any Victorian BL'ers here over eighteen; make damn sure you're enrolled to vote this November.

 

[hoptis]

Greens' campaign to win the balance of power
Peter Ker
October 24, 2006

<snipped>

Despite the humble quarters, today's poll suggests the Greens are the fastest-growing force in Victorian politics, with their support rising close to a third since August. The rise is well timed, with reform to the Victorian upper house at the election expected to increase the representation of minor parties.

Even before the poll, the Greens were tipped to possibly claim the balance of power in the upper house, and the figures suggest that a lower house seat may also be a possibility.

"We stand a good chance in the … lower house seats of Richmond and Melbourne where we were runners-up in the last vote," said media co-ordinator Dave Lane.

One measure of the Greens' support, according to southern metropolitan upper house candidate Sue Pennicuik, is the ferocity of the attacks from the major parties. Liberal and National Party forces have spent significant energy discrediting the Greens as "the loony left".

"They are obviously taking a lot more notice of us because we've had the change in the electoral system," she said.

Favourite target for ridicule is the Greens' drug policy, which promises medically prescribed heroin for "treatment-resistant users", and the regulation of cannabis use for medicinal purposes.

"It's a bit annoying when people keep focusing on just that issue and also trying to misrepresent it as something way-out when, in fact, the measures that we are advocating are well supported by people in the alcohol and drug area, (and) the medical area," said Ms Pennicuik.

Ms Mander said public perceptions were changing.

"People are starting to understand that we are more than a one-issue party … we have a diversity of policy," she said.

GREEN AGENDA

<snipped>

DRUGS

■Evaluate medically supervised injection spaces.

■Replace criminal penalties for personal drug use with civil remedies.

<snipped>

SOURCE: WWW.VIC.GREENS.ORG.AU

The Age