Why are drug service providers at the top levels of commonwealth drug policy? Colliss Parrett, former Director of the Department of Health's Drugs of Dependence branch, discusses how drug elites are working against efforts to curb Australia’s drug problem.

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In the last week, the ACL has been quoted in the media on issues such as decriminalising illicit drugs, the foreign aid budget, and whether Australia is a Christian country. See below for links to mentions in the media.



On Australia's foreign aid budget:

• The Australian - Quality, not quantity, is key



• Christian Today Australia - Commission of Audit recommends breaking foreign aid election promise

ACL's Wendy Francis was interviewed by Steve Austin from the ABC on investigating prostitution reform. Follow this link to listen to the interview.



ACL's Lyle Shelton reflects on current discussions in the United Kingdom about whether it is still a Christian country, and where Australia stands in this week's Politics InFocus. Watch the interview below.







Are we a Christian country? from InFocus on Vimeo.



On the issue of decriminalising illicit drugs:

• ABC Onlines - Cannabis a health issue not a legal one, a Hobart forum hears



• Christian Today Australia - Concern at push to decriminalise illicit drugs



• The Mercury - No go for cannabis change (please see image below)

 

MEDIA RELEASE



Tuesday 6th May 2014



The Australian Christian Lobby said it hopes a drug forum today won’t lead to the decriminalisation of some illicit drugs.



Today’s drug forum organised by Alcohol Tobacco and other Drugs Council (ATDC) in Hobart discusses decriminalising drugs such as cannabis and the ‘success’ this has had in other countries.



ACL’s Tasmanian Director Mark Brown said it’s important society sends a strong message about the harm of drugs.



“The law plays an educative role in our society. Decriminalising illicit drugs such as cannabis sends the message that taking drugs is ok and can be safe,” he said.



“We should not be advocating for something that has the potential to ruin people’s lives and families.



“A recent study in the United States found that young people who smoke cannabis (even as little as one joint a week) had brain abnormalities that affected emotion and motivation. There is also heightened risk of adolescent users developing schizoaffective disorders in adult life.



“Australia has a clearly demonstrated problem with alcohol and drug abuse in the community, particularly amongst young people,” he said.



Mr Brown said people suffering an addiction to drugs should be given real solutions to their problems.



“Consideration should be given to other approaches like the successful Swedish approach to illicit drugs. The Swedish model makes drug rehabilitation mandatory for those found addicted and strong policing of street selling,” Mr Brown said.



ENDS

The ACL's monthly newsletter, which includes a column from ACL's Managing Director Lyle Shelton, is out now. This month's newsletter includes stories on combating drug and alcohol-fuelled violence in New South Wales, the upcoming Tasmanian state election, ACL's inaugural Gap Week and much more. Click here to read the February newsletter.

In the last week, the ACL has been quoted in the media on issues such as the NSW government's decision to tackle alcohol-fuelled violence, and the political environment in Tasmania. See below for links to mentions in the media.



On the NSW government's decision to tackle drug and alcohol fuelled violence in the state:

• Christian Today Australia - Greater focus needed on addressing the root causes of binge drinking, says ACL

On Tasmanian politics:

• Christian Today Australia - ACL looks to post-Greens future for Tasmania

The Victorian Director Dan Flynn’s letter to supporters in the state is now available online.



It has recently been proposed by the Australian Medical Association (Victorian Branch) that a safe injecting room be trialed in Melbourne. Research by Drug Free Australia into Australia’s only injecting room in Sydney’s Kings Cross, reveals that this facility is not the best method for reducing drug dependence.  



Click here to continue reading.

MEDIA RELEASE



Wednesday, 3 October 2012



The Australian Christian Lobby has welcomed the Victorian Government's rejection of calls for a drug injecting trial in Melbourne.



ACL Victorian Director Dan Flynn said injecting illicit drugs is never safe and that Community Services Minister Mary Wooldridge was right to stick to the Government’s election promise to oppose such a trial.



Mr Flynn said that research by Drug Free Australia into the Sydney supervised injecting facility found that for every user injecting in the “safe” rooms they inject elsewhere a further 34 times.



“Given that every injection is dangerous the proposed facility would not offer any effective protection.”



“Reduction in drug trafficking and drug related crime will only be achieved by rehabilitating addicts towards drug free status, not maintaining them in their addiction,” Mr Flynn said.



“The Sydney facility is estimated to cost in excess of $2.5m a year to run. That money would be more appropriately spent on programs to get addicts off drugs, including funding drug rehabilitation beds.”



A report by Dr Andrew Byrne in 2006 (cited in the Drug Free Australia report, p. 2) into the Sydney facility reveals that drugs regularly injected included heroin, ‘ice’ and cocaine.



Mr Flynn said that there was little evidence from assessments of the Sydney facility that drug users had been effectively referred to programs that helped them end their addiction.



“The message that injecting rooms send is that injecting is ok and can be safe. This is not a message we should be sending out to Victoria’s young people,” he said.



Drug Free Australia’s analysis of the Final Report of the Evaluation of the Sydney Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC) reveals that the “overdose rate in the injecting room was 36 times higher than on the streets of Kings Cross."



Australia is obliged by International treaties to reduce demand for illicit drugs.



The United Nations International Narcotic Control Board, in a 2001 report, stated:



“. . . the operation of such facilities, where addicts inject themselves with illicit substances, condones Illicit drug use and drug trafficking and runs counter to the provisions of the international drug treaties.” (Para. 559)



Apart from the one facility in Sydney, no other Australian State or Territory has supported injecting rooms.



“The AMA should not be supporting such initiatives but instead investigating ways to treat and rehabilitate drug addicts,” Mr Flynn said.



“The Victorian Government should investigate the successful Swedish approach to illicit drugs. Key elements of the Swedish model are mandatory drug rehabilitation for those found addicted to drugs and strong policing of street selling.”

 



 



Shane Varcoe is the director of the Dalgarno Institute, an organisation which educates people about the dangers of alcohol and drugs. He spoke to the ACL's Ben Williams about the recently released report of the Australia 21 group, which calls for the decriminalisation of illicit drugs including ecstasy and cannabis.

Media Release

For release: Friday May 27, 2011

The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) today urged the Victorian Government to stand firm against a renewed push for a ‘safe’ injecting room in Melbourne.

ACL Victoria Director Rob Ward said, “despite reports in The Age today by Dr Marianne Jauncey that when it comes to injecting rooms “the evidence is clear and irrefutable for their benefits”, the truth is that the evidence is actually to the contrary.

“Dr Jauncey points to the Sydney facility as saving lives, yet its own report indicates that for every user injecting in the “safe” rooms they inject elsewhere a further 34 times.

“If every injection is dangerous what protection is really being offered?

“The Sydney facility is estimated to cost $2.5m a year to run. That money could be better spent on programs to get addicts off drugs, not prolong their addiction.

“Evidence from Sydney reveals that other drugs are injected at the facility, including the dangerous drugs ‘ice’ and cocaine.”

Mr Ward said that there was little evidence that drug users had been effectively referred to programs that helped them end their addiction.

“The message that injecting rooms send is that injecting is ok and can be safe. This is not a message we should be sending out. Drug users often become slaves to their addiction. Injecting rooms only legitimise that slavery.”