LOW HIV/AIDS FROM ILLICIT DRUG SYRINGES

Sweden is among the European countries with a low level of injecting drug use related HIV/AIDS infections.

Syringe exchange programs in Sweden are limited and are used to motivate illicit drug users into detoxification and rehabilitation.

From July 2006 Swedish syringe exchange programs are required to be supported by the local community and must account for the success in diverting users into detoxification and rehabilitation.

(Source: Sweden’s Successful Drug Policy: A Review of the Evidence, September 2006 available at www.unodc.org)

The Drug Advisory Council of Australia Comments

A key drug policy objective in Australia must be to substantially reduce the number of illicit drug users.

Reducing the number of injecting illicit drug users reduces the risk of blood borne infections like HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C.

Sharing syringes is a key way of spreading blood borne infections.

Australian syringe distribution programs MUST be used to identify illicit drug users and to divert these users into detoxification and rehabilitation.

The purpose of detoxification and rehabilitation is to get illicit drug users off drugs and into a drug free lifestyle.

Sweden’s policy of using its courts to divert illicit drug users into detoxification and rehabilitation programs that get user’s drug free should be copied by Australia.

In Australia, an estimated 90 per cent of newly acquired Hepatitis C cases are related to injecting drug use and 10 per cent of these are Aboriginal Australians.

THE DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA SUPPORTS-

More detoxification & rehabilitation that gets illicit drug users drug free.

Court ordered and supervised detoxification & rehabilitation.

Less illicit drug users, drug pushers and drug related crimes.

8/2007