"The Prime Minister’s dismissal yesterday of the call by the Royal Australian College of Physicians to treat illicit drug use as a medical and social problem reveals a wilful refusal to face facts," said Brian McConnell, President of Families and Friends for Drug Law Reform.

The Prime Minister asserted that 59% rather than 16% as mentioned in a 1992 UN report is allocated to treatment, rehabilitation, research and education and 41% rather than 84% to law enforcement.

"This is blatantly misleading," said Brian McConnell. "The figures quoted by the Prime Minister relate only to the additional federal funding provided under the Tough on Drugs Policy. The PM’s figures do not identify the huge hidden drug related elements of the general law enforcement budgets of either Federal or State law enforcement agencies."

"The PM’s Tough on Drugs policy has been a failure. The latest statistics show that drugs are more freely available on the streets and at cheaper prices. Overdose death rates have soared. Drug use now starts at a younger age. His Tough on Drugs policy has not slowed these alarming rates. Claims of increased seizures only reflect the ever increasing amounts getting into the country. Furthermore rising drug related crime rates – particularly property crime and hold ups – and 54% growth in prison population in the last 10 years give the lie to the Prime Minister’s spin."

The PM also asserts that a 1999 World Health Organisation (WHO) commissioned evaluation of the Swiss heroin trial cast significant doubt over previous claims about the benefits of the Swiss trial.

"The PM is being mischeivous because it did nothing of the kind!" Mr McConnell said, "The expert panel acknowledged that major improvements had flowed from the trial. These included improved physical and psychological health, no overdose deaths, much better employment participation and social integration and a 70% reduction in number of crimes committed per patient."

"The PM would be well aware of the many other European countries trialing or preparing to trial heroin on prescription and they expect to achieve the same worthwhile results. Why would they do that if it was a failure as he claims?"

"In the light of the huge improvements that were achieved, the appropriate scientific response is that advocated by the RACP – conduct our own trial!"

"Nothing Australia is attempting," said Mr McConnell, "is having anything like the spectacular results that the Swiss have achieved for severely dependent users who have repeatedly failed other treatments."

The RACP’s call for a heroin trial and rigorous evaluation of measures likely to reduce the appalling toll that illicit drugs are having on young Australian lives and on the fabric of the Australian community, must be heeded."

"The Prime Minister’s refusal to face facts displays a moral failure."