REHABILITATION IS THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE TO INJECTING ROOMS

 

The only proven way to reduce deaths from drug overdoses is to get addicts drug free as soon as possible.

 

Sweden, U.S.A., Singapore and other countries, which have much lower drug use and substantially fewer addicts than Australia, use their legal system to direct addicts into detoxification and rehabilitation.

 

The Melbourne Herald Sun (21/10/99) stated that “the law must compel addicts to undergo treatment” and again (24/8/99) “compelling (addicts) to accept treatment under pain of jail”.

 

This has many advantages-

·        Less drug overdose deaths

·        Less addicts as treatment gets addicts drug free

·        Less demand for drug pushers

·        Less use of health services for overdose victims

·        Less crime because of less addicts

·        Former addicts now drug free contributing to society

·        Less police resources used for drug related crime

·        Less taxes being used on syringes, beach cleaning, disposal, etc

·        Less taxes being used for community services for addicts

·        Less taxes being used for drug committees and enquires

·        Less taxes used for drug maintenance programs

·        Former addicts living longer with improved health

·        Less taxes used for income support programs

·        Courts used to solve problems with better programs

·        Less taxes used for prisons as there is less drug crime

·        Less taxes used for coronal investigations

·        Less blood infections e.g. Hepatitis

 

We demand -

 Less addicts not more

Don’t legalize drug pushing

Less crime not more

Taxes for injecting rooms must be used to get addicts drug free

More detoxification & effective rehabilitation programs

Prisons & youth centers must get addicts drug free

 

FACT SHEET 13/2000

Drug Advisory Council of Australia inc.