WA: Heroin trial halves crime rate, new study finds

AAP General News (Australia)
04-30-1999
WA: Heroin trial halves crime rate, new study finds

PERTH, April 30 AAP - A new international study shows crime rates among Swiss heroin
addicts on heroin trial programs were halved.

Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation president Jason Meotti said today the findings
vindicated the group's view on heroin trials.

Commissioned by the World Health Organisation, the study was conducted by ten health and
legal experts from around the world and is the first independent report on the controversial
trials.

It found that offences committed by trial participants and registered by police dropped by
more than 50 per cent.

"We have always supported the introduction of properly monitored trials," Mr Meotti said.

A total of 1,146 patients were involved in the trials, and 83 of these (three per cent)
gave up drugs altogether.

Six per cent continued to use illicit heroin daily after six months of the trials, compared
with 81 per cent at the beginning.

Three per cent of the participants died.

The report also found that those prescribed heroin "evidenced significant improvement in
their physical and mental health over 18 months".

Employment rates rose from 14 per cent to 32 per cent, and 34 per cent of patients were
debt-free after 18 months, compared with 15 per cent at the start of the trial.

But the report cautioned that it was not clear whether the improvements were the result of
prescribed heroin or the overall treatment program.

The cost of the trial averaged $18,000 per patient per year.

Mr Meotti said the report provided a financial incentive to introduce heroin trials.

"I understand the prime minister said recently he had yet to see any positive, independent
results of the Swiss trial and that was one of his reasons for blocking trials in Australia,"
Mr Meotti said.

"Now that this report is out, I hope that he will allow any states wishing to adopt trials
as a treatment option to proceed."

"The Swiss have taken a very pragmatic view in arguing that it costs far more for these
people to be on the streets committing crimes than it does to provide them with proper
treatment," he said.

"I would urge the Australian government to take note."

AAP alm/cfm/trm

KEYWORD: DRUGS SWISS

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