Subj: Australia: Elliott Backs Radical Drug Law Changes



Pubdate: Wed, 4 Nov 1998



Source: Advertiser, The (Australia)



Author: Annabel Crabb





ELLIOTT BACKS RADICAL DRUG LAW CHANGES



DEMOCRATS leader Mr Mike Elliott will launch a renewed campaign for

radical drug law reform today.



Newly returned from a tour of Switzerland and the Netherlands, Mr

Elliott says Australia's drug laws are "killing the people they were

meant to help".



Today, he will introduce a motion in support of separating cannabis

laws from those governing other illegal drugs, and urging the Federal

Government to allow heroin prescription trials.



Mr Elliott said he had seen the beneficial effects of separating

cannabis laws in the Netherlands, where "cannabis can be sold without

other drugs being offered".



"The Netherlands reported 85 drug deaths from a population of 15.4

million people in 1995, compared to South Australia's 34 so far this

year from a population of 1.3 mfllion," he said.



Mr Elliott said the success of Switzerland's heroin trial was now

"beyond dispute".



"We need to show some courage - and I guess in a sense it's political

courage - to do this," he said.