NCJ Number
159587
Journal
Criminology Australia Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Dated: (Spring 1995) Pages: 3-6
Date Published
1995
Length
4 pages
Annotation
An Australian legislator has proposed legislation to legalize the supply of heroin to registered drug addicts; he contends illicit drug use is an illness rather than a crime and needs to be treated as a health issue.
Abstract
The proposal to legalize the supply of heroin follows previous efforts by the legislator to decriminalize marijuana in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). Based on his proposal, government officials have started organizing a program that will lead to a trial to test the legal supply of heroin. If the ACT decides to adopt the trial program, the first stage will be a closely controlled pilot program. Other stages will focus on such questions as where to provide the heroin, how to police individuals so that heroin does not become a black market of its own, how many times individuals should inject, and where to obtain heroin. Government plans call for establishing procedures to guide the trial program, including procedures for randomizing individuals to treatment and comparison groups. If the pilot program is successful, a 2-year controlled trial will be conducted in which the treatment group will have the choice of methadone, heroin, or both.