Most drug users want to stop using
A recent editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine has highlighted that most illicit drug users want to stop taking drugs.
The editorial was a debate on illicit drug maintenance options available to medical personnel between methadone and heroin prescription.
Methadone maintenance is increasingly being seen as a failure.
(Source: New England Journal of Medicine 20 August 2009)
DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS-
Given that most illicit drug users want to stop using illicit drugs why are programs that maintain users on drugs the main treatment options in Australia?
As the editorial concedes heroin and methadone are both killer drugs.
Australia needs to reduce illicit drug usage by adopting world's best practice of placing identified users into programs to get them free of drug use.
That is- provide rehabilitation that most illicit drug users want.
Australian illicit drug policy objectives should help drug users to quit.
By maintaining illicit drug users in a continuing drug use we compound the harm of drug use to users and prolong the costs to the Australian community.
A more successful illicit drug strategy for Australia should help drug users to quit by placing identified users into court ordered and supervised detoxification and rehabilitation which most drug users want.
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.
31/2009
