2008 predictions for Australian Drug Policy
I thought I’d add yet another predictions blog post to all those already out there. In 2008 I believe the following will occur in relation to ATOD policy in Australia:
1. There won’t be much change at all. At a federal level I still remain hopeful that there’ll be some change in policy direction but I don’t believe the basic structures or approach will change. Prevention services may see a little more money but law enforcement will remain the golden child. I’d be surprised if there was any significant change to the ANCD.
2. NGOs will get more scrutiny. Organisations like Drug Free Australia will hopefully be looked at a little more closely in regard to outcomes and evidence-based practice.
3. Business interest in prevention will grow. Large organisations are finally starting to get the message that keeping their employees healthy is a productivity enhancing thing. ATOD prevention initiatives will increasingly form part of the picture - 2008 will see that evolution continue although there’s a long way to go yet.
4. Drugs in sport will gets lots of attention. Given 2008 is an Olympics year, this is a no-brainer.
5. Crystal Meth will dominate tabloid media on ATOD. Another easy prediction.
What are your predictions for the coming year? What do you think will come to pass that we’ll look back on as significant in a year’s time?
Year in review from one perspective
“DrugSense FOCUS Alert #357 - Monday, 31 December 2007
2007 saw almost fifteen thousand new news clippings added to the www.mapinc.org archives.
Over a half million different readers from about 125 countries accessed the clippings during the year. Based on a formula which recognizes that older clippings may have been accessed more than the more recent ones, selections of the 600 most read clippings by areas of the world are provided at the following links:
http://mapinc.org/find?369 2007 in Review - Australasia
http://mapinc.org/find?370 2007 in Review - Asia
http://mapinc.org/find?366 2007 in Review - Canada
http://mapinc.org/find?368 2007 in Review - South America
http://mapinc.org/find?367 2007 in Review - United Kingdom
http://mapinc.org/find?365 2007 in Review - United States
The year 2007 was good for our Letter to The Editor writing activists, with about 2,230 letters printed that we know of as shown at http://mapinc.org/lte/
The year also saw a nice upgrade in the online look of the DrugSense Weekly http://www.drugsense.org/current.htm
Among the best kept secrets in the reform community is the 30,000 plus record Media Contact On Demand database, which received a facelift during 2007 for ease of use and for which the data is continuously crawled - computer programs are checking the web for changes - and updated http://www.mapinc.org/mcod/
During the year DrugSense switched from using Paltalk to TeamSpeak for on line voice chats because the server software resides on our own server and because the program works as well on MAC and Linux computers as on Windows PCs. Besides MAP/DrugSense meeting rooms, both Law Enforcement Against Prohibition and the Ohio Patient Network have meeting rooms. Details about the software are at http://www.mapinc.org/resource/teamspeak/
It has also been a busy year for the DrugSense webmastering/website hosting team supporting 125 reform websites and over 200 email lists and forums. Among the major projects of the year were these:
- Major upgrades of The Drug Truth Network http://www.drugtruth.net and the LEAP websites http://www.leap.cc
- Adding new websites http://thepotlawhasfallen.ca/, http://compassionatecanadians.com/, http://www.illinoisnorml.org/, and http://chemicalbigotry.org/, with others in the works.
Oh, we have probably left out something we did during the past year that is important to you, but it is hard to keep on top of all that happens at DrugSense.
On behalf of the MAP/DrugSense family of activists we wish you all the best for the New Year!
**********************************************************************
Prepared by: The MAP/DrugSense Family of Activists”
The Australian Heroin Diaries
The Australian Heroin Diaries is a fairly new blog written by Terry Wright. It’s a great new Australian perspective and well worth a read.
Rudd and Drugs
Now the election is done, coming weeks will see some clarity come to the policy positions adopted by the incoming government. I’d like to make some predictions that are as staid and conservative as I believe the Rudd government will be in the ATOD area:
1. ‘Tough on Drugs’ will remain, perhaps with a rebranding.
2. No further liberalisation of drug laws will occur.
3. There will be no Federal support for other injecting room trials.
4. Drug Free Australia may be treated with a little more scepticism than currently.
5. There’ll be some increased expenditure around alcohol and tobacco prevention initiatives.
WHat are your thoughts? Am I being too cynical? I have a feeling I’m not.
Alex Wodak on the Coalition’s Tough on Drugs Election Policy
I noticed this is today’s Crikey email:
“President of the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation, Dr Alex Wodak, writes:
The Coalition Government’s Election 2007 Policy, “Tough on Drugs”, was released over the weekend. The centre piece of the new policy, a triumph of gesture politics, is a commitment to “quarantine and manage 100 per cent of welfare payments to stop people convicted of criminal drug offences …from using welfare payments to buy illicit drugs”.
If this desperate policy is ever implemented, we can be confident of a growth in crime which will require increased resources for police and prisons and which in turn can only be paid for by increased taxes. Perhaps that was meant by the “Go for Growth” slogan? The amphetamine market has certainly gone for growth during the lifetime of the “Tough on Drugs” policy.
The new drug policy was released just after the most recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a report which represents even greater political difficulties for the Coalition. Surely the timing of the release of the new drugs policy was intended as a distraction from the new IPCC report.
It is hard to understand how a government which prides itself on understanding markets can reconcile itself with a drug policy which attempts to defy economic gravity.
Sooner or later, the major parties will have to accept the reality that while there is a demand for drugs, there will always be a supply. And if there is no legal supply, other forms of supply will inevitably emerge. Wasn’t that the lesson of alcohol prohibition in the USA? The ability of governments to modify powerful market forces is marginal, as we all now know from the collapse of communism.
The Coalition also criticises the ALP for supporting a trial of a Medically Supervised Injecting Centre, a scientific trial of heroin prescription and the decriminalisation of cannabis. The trial of a Medically Supervised Injecting Centre in NSW was supported by a number of Liberal members of the NSW Parliament including a future Liberal Leader of the Opposition (John Brogden). A scientific trial of heroin prescription was first proposed in Australia by Mr. N. Greiner in 1984 while Leader of the Opposition in NSW (before he went on to become a Liberal Premier).
One of the major advocates for a scientific trial of heroin prescription was Ms Kate Carnell while Chief Minister of the ACT. The Liberal Commonwealth Minister for Health and Minister for Justice both voted for a heroin trial at a major Ministerial meeting in July 1997. Many prominent past and present Liberal politicians support sensible reforms of drug policy. Coalition state and territory governments have liberalised cannabis policies or retained policies liberalised by previous Labor governments.
So far this is one policy that the ALP Opposition has not cried “me too” on, but don’t hold your breath. ”
Crikey is well worth the $100+ dollars to receive a daily email full of commentary in a range of fields. Health topics get regular coverage in an in-depth manner - something the major media outlets would do well to emulate.
Multiple positions at The WA Network of Alcohol and other Drug Agencies
“Sector Development – Be at the heart of change in WA
There are exciting times ahead! Non-government alcohol and other drug treatment agencies in Western Australia have recently been granted $5.9 million to build their capacity and improve their services to people with both mental health and alcohol and other drug use issues. Join the Western Australian Network of Alcohol and other Drug Agencies (WANADA) in one of these new full time exciting and innovative roles to revolutionise the way in which the sector works. Both positions below are initially offered for 12 months with an expectation to extend following review.
Sector Development Coordinator - $60,000 to $65,000
(plus superannuation and generous salary packaging options)
As Sector Development Co-ordinator you will oversee the project, working directly with treatment agencies and relevant state level stakeholders. You’ll be travelling to visit agencies across WA, establishing strategic relationships and effecting sector wide change. This is your ideal job if you are an excellent communicator, experienced project leader and enjoy driving collaborative working relationships.
Sector Development Project Officer - $50,000 to $55,000
(job share available plus superannuation and generous salary packaging options)
As Sector Development Project Officer you will establish communications networks between mental health and alcohol and other drug agencies in WA and work to meet the resource and training needs of the alcohol and other drug sector in relation to mental health and alcohol and other drug use. Your outstanding interpersonal skills, attention to detail and the satisfaction you gain from seeing results will be well rewarded in this role.
Details including JDF and selection criteria for each position can be obtained by e-mailing drugpeak@wanada.org.au or phoning (08) 9420 7236. JDFs can also be downloaded from the WANADA website. Indigenous people are encouraged to apply.
Applications should be sent or hand-delivered to WANADA, City West Lotteries House, 2 Delhi St, West Perth WA 6005 or sent to drugpeak@wanada.org.au.
Closing Date: 12noon Tuesday 4 December 2007.”
Howard mentions illicits - finally
Today John Howard announced that illicit drug uses convicted of a drug-related offence would have any welfare payments quarantined.
I’d love to hear your thoughts. The first that came to mind for me is the increase in crime that would occur with such an initiative. Although someone on welfare with a heavy addiction won’t be able to fund their habit that way, its fair to assume that at with even less cash at hand, crime will become an even more necessary option. I wonder if the broader public thinks of that if they even notice the announcement. The only other certainty is that the ALP won’t refute the proposal - more ‘me-too’ I would expect.
The Liberals’ full ‘Tough On Drugs’ policy for the election can be found here
Forensic Alcohol and Other Drugs Counsellor (Victoria)
“Moreland Hall offers a range of Forensic Alcohol and Other Drugs Support Services to the community in a variety of settings. We offer treatment services for clients referred by ASCO COATS and the Koori Court at Broadmeadows and prisoners of Port Phillip Prison.
We are currently seeking an experienced Alcohol and Other Drugs Counsellor to join our Forensic Services team based at Port Phillip Prison, Laverton to deliver psycho-educational group programs, facilitate training and program develop and evaluation and provide counselling and support services to clients and families and secondary consultation and liaison with key partner agencies.
To be successful you will require a relevant tertiary qualification, sound assessment and counselling skills and demonstrated knowledge working with a forensic population.
For further information and details on how to apply for this position please phone (03) 9384 8801 or go to the employment section on our website.
Applications are to be sent to the HR Manager, 26 Jessie Street, MORELAND 3058 OR email: jobs@morelandhall.org
Closing date for applications is 5pm Friday 30th November 2007
Moreland Hall has more than 35 years experience in the statewide delivery of alcohol and other drug services; we are a leader in the field. As an employer and Registered Training Organisation, Moreland Hall is committed to providing a positive and supportive work culture where employees have access to professional development and generous salary packaging arrangements.”
ADCA highlight election campaign silence on alcohol
Was pleased to see ADCA have upped the ante with the Labor and Liberal parties on their alcohol policy thoughts (or lack of) in the lead up to the election. The full press release:
‘Voters unaware of election alcohol policies
The Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia (ADCA) has sent personal letters to the leaders of the major political parties calling on them to review and announce their alcohol policies in relation to its misuse, excessive consumption, pricing, availability, accessibility and promotion. These are all contributing factors which directly impact on the health, family, social and welfare aspects of our community.
ADCA is the peak national body representing the interests of the Australian alcohol and other drugs (AOD) sector nationally, and its primary role is to see a reduction in AOD-related harm nationally.
Chief Executive Officer of ADCA, David Templeman says “Each year 3000 Australians die and another 10 000 need ongoing medical treatment through alcohol-related harm. The annual cost in alcohol related absenteeism is 7.5 million working days and the economic impact of its misuse is $15.3 billion. Alcohol is not an ordinary commodity and should not be treated as one.”
ADCA acknowledges that Australian Governments have led the world in action to reduce harm tough drink-driving laws and reduced taxes on low alcohol beer, however in other areas Australia has lagged.
“ADCA believes wine taxes should be based on alcohol content and equalised with beer taxes per unit of alcohol. Raising alcohol taxes across the board would be effective in reducing alcohol related problems in Australia” Mr Templeman said.
“It should be the role of the Government to progressively increase tax rates for alcohol over several years, beyond CPI adjustments. Revenue gained from this should then be provided to treatment services and prevention programs,” he added.
Central to addressing the harm from alcohol is advertising. ADCA feels that promotion of alcohol should be managed more responsibly with advertisements carrying warning messages about the potential harms of abuse, similar to tobacco advertising and packaging.
“ADCA is committed to working with Government to reduce alcohol and drug-related harm throughout Australia, and we hope that this issue is given some serious consideration by all political parties in the lead up to the Federal election,” Mr Templeman said.’
Of course, chances are there’ll be zero response from either side.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report - Syringe Exchange
The USA’s Centre for Disease Control (CDC) publishes the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) and it’s published some interesting data on syringe exchange. The abstract:
“Syringe exchange programs (SEPs) provide free sterile syringes in exchange for used syringes to reduce transmission of bloodborne pathogens among injection-drug users (IDUs). SEPs in the United States began as a way to prevent the spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other bloodborne infections such as hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse recommends that persons who continue to inject drugs use a new, sterile syringe for each injection. Monitoring syringe exchange activity is an important part of assessing HIV prevention measures in the United States. As of November 2007, a total of 185 SEPs were operating in 36 states, the District of Columbia (DC), and Puerto Rico. This report summarizes a survey of SEP activities in the United States during 2005 and compares the findings with previous SEP surveys.
The findings indicated an increase in overall funding for SEPs, including an increase in public funding, and a stabilization in both the number of SEPs operating and the number of syringes exchanged since 2004. This report also documents an expansion of services offered by SEPs, a trend that resulted from an increase in state and local funding. These expanded services are helping protect IDUs and their communities from the spread of bloodborne pathogens and are providing access to health services
for a population at high risk. Monitoring of syringe exchange activity should continue.”