Headline: DPP's radical drug trade plan [to control illegal drugs]

The Director Of Public Prosecutions wants the State Government to grow Cannabis and manufacture and distribute heroin. In an exclusive interview with The Advertiser, Mr Paul Rofe, QC, said the controversial measures were needed because law enforcers were losing the war against drugs. And last night the Government admitted the drug laws should be reviewed. "We never really had a chance (in trying to stop drug use)." Mr. Rofe said yesterday "We've just got to do something drastic". He said government manufacture of heroin would ensure "quality control" and allow variations in the strength of the powder.

It is believed there are up to 30 heroin deaths in SA every two months. "People are dying because they don't know what they are getting" Mr Rofe said. He said his proposal was prompted by "his frustration of doing this job and watching particularly kids going down the drain. I just don't think we can paddle along as we are, accepting deaths that occur, accepting that it's decimating our young population" Mr Rofe said. Also under his plan, heroin addicts would be registered and then supplied and injected with heroin at State-run clinics.

Mr Rofe said criminal involvement in the Cannabis trade could be cut by the government either growing the drug or issuing licenses for its manufacture. Mr Rofe said the Cannabis could be bought across the counter like cigarettes with scientific opinion suggesting its dangers were on a similar level as alcohol and cigarettes. The move would also cut the "underground" attraction of smoking cannabis.

Prohibiting drugs was driving users underground and into the hands of criminal organisations whose leaders were escaping prosecution. "It would stop these people who are making huge amounts of money" Mr Rofe said. "The big people are not, in the majority of cases, being touched. "We are talking about big organisations which manage to cover their activities pretty well".

But the Police Commissioner, Mr David Hunt, said last night that Police had not "lost the drug war". "Police do apprehend major identities in the drug world; they are simply not identified as such on court lists" he said. "How much worse would the situation be if not for the detection and prevention programs by Police?"

However the Health Minister, Dr Armitage conceded it was time to consider different strategies. "Nobody wants to see a continuation of a situation where crime bosses make a lot of money and unfortunate victims are subject to health risks" he said. "We are open to looking at better ways of doing things." Dr. Armitage would not detail specific changes being considered, but said an ACT Government proposal to give heroin to addicts was being closely monitored. "If there is decreased crime, better health outcomes...I would certainly take a message up to the Government for consideration," he said. Mr Rofe acknowledged that all changes would have to be introduced at a State level with uniform laws being imposed nationwide to stop users crossing borders for drugs.

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