U.N. Told Don't Fight Drugs with Drugs
Experience of working with people with an addiction to illicit drugs has shown that replacing an illicit drug use with another drug is not successful rehabilitation.
Drug replacement aggravates the addiction and over time makes the addiction chronic.
Drug rehabilitation must be based on a strategy of recovery and respect for the life and dignity of the person of the drug addict.
Based on successful international experience, families of drug addicts must be the primary group used in supporting the addicted person in their recovery.
Other institutions medical and institutional should be used to support the addicted person through their families.
Rehabilitation of drug addiction should be focused on cure of the addiction and not maintenance or drug replacement.
In order to prevent initial illicit drug use, promotion of a favorable healthy lifestyle and accurate information of the known harms of illicit drugs is a successful approach.
(Source: U.N. Anti Drugs Commission, Vienna Austria 20 March 2009).
DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS-
Our Council supports the rehabilitation approach that respects the dignity of the drug addict and seeks a cure of the addiction.
Rehabilitation needs to be urgent, compulsory and comprehensive to ensure that at risk young Australians are helped to be drug free before any damage is done to them.
Current funds used to provide drug replacement programs would be more effective if diverted into rehabilitation that brings about a cure.
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.
9/2009
