HEPATITIS C DRUG USER EPIDEMIC
According to the Australian National Council on AIDS, Hepatitis C is the most common notifiable disease in Australia with 91% of new infections coming from sharing injecting drug syringes.
The rate of infection is INCREASING in large part because an INCREASING number of young people are chosing to commence injecting drug use.
At lease 150,000 Australians were infected with Hepatitis C and there are about 1,000 new infections a year.
The escalating rates of infection have enormous consequences for Australia’s health care system for many years to come.
Hepatitis C is a national epidemic.
(Source: Medical Journal of Australia/ Daily Telegraph 15 April 2002)
COMMENT
The syringe distribution system that maintains addicts using heroin is not working.
There is MORE drug users.
There is MORE disease from using syringes for injecting heroin.
Funds for syringe distribution should be put into detoxification and rehabilitation.
More detoxification & rehabilitation programs that get addicts drug free.
Court ordered detoxification & rehabilitation programs.
Less addicts
Less drug pushers and drug related crimes.
DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA Inc.
HEROIN FACT SHEET 25