Drug Recovery Policy
Scotland has adopted a policy of illicit drug recovery rather than drug maintenance.
Scotland believes its illicit drug maintenance programs like methadone maintenance is not working.
Scotland has 22,000 people on methadone maintenance and only 3 per cent are getting off drugs.
Taking methadone as a substitute for heroin simply parks illicit drug users on methadone and does not resolve the drug use issues.
(Source: The Times newspaper, 15 September 2009)
DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS-
Australia should follow Scotland in diverting illicit drug users into rehabilitation that resolves the issues of why the users take drugs.
Maintaining drug use by changing the drug from an illegal drug like heroin to a legal drug like methadone does not deal with the drug use.
As well methadone use is linked to drug deaths and drug maintenance is increasingly being seen as unworkable.
Like legal injecting places such as in Kings Cross illicit drug maintenance simply funds international criminals that supply the drugs.
Its time to invest in rehabilitation programs that are backed by court diversion programs that help users to quit.
Scotland has shown that they want drug users to fully recover and cease using all drugs is good policy.
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.
22/2010
