Pubdate: Tue, 20 Jun 2000
Source: Illawarra Mercury (Australia)
Copyright: 2000 Illawarra Newspapers
Contact:  http://mercury.illnews.com.au/
Author: Kev Wadeson

REHABILITATION FOR ADDICTS

ALTHOUGH I am not totally in agreement, I do believe that euthanasia
is illegal in Australia, which means no-one is allowed to assist
persons to kill themselves.

This being so, I would like to know how the NSW Government can support
heroin-injecting rooms, because no matter how you look at it, this is
assisting addicts to kill themselves, albeit very slowly.

Many have quoted the Swedish experience, claiming that it has worked
well there. Well, a former European parliamentarian will tell you that
addiction and drug deaths in Sweden have skyrocketed since the
introduction of the so-called safe injecting rooms.

How many deaths will it take before we turn safe injecting rooms into
rehabilitation centres with state-of-the art care to cure those who
are addicted?

Better this than putting a few more billion into the bank accounts of
the drug lords. Please, let's stop the rot now.

KEV WADESON,
Bellambi.
- ---