CLAIMS that the war on drugs has failed have renewed debate on a supervised injecting room in Footscray.
A report by not-for-profit body Australia21 has urged a move towards decriminalisation of low-level drug use with law and order funds redirected into prevention and treatment of drug use.
Greens MP Colleen Hartland said the report vindicated her stance on a supervised injecting room in Footscray to tackle drug issues.
Ms Hartland said the idea divided the community when it was last raised in the late-1990s.
“At that time I lived next to the Footscray railway station where people would score their drugs and use my street and sometimes my front veranda to shoot up.
I knew something had to happen, but I wasn’t sure then what it should be.”
She said she left a community meeting thinking a supervised injecting room was one solution.
“The report this week clearly states that the war on drugs has failed. This has vindicated the Greens’ position on the need to see alcohol and substance abuse issues as a medical, not law enforcement, issue.”
Spokeswoman Kate Walshe said the state government had no intention of decriminalising drug use.
The government’s focus was on decreasing drug abuse, reducing harm and improving access to treatment, she said.
“The government is investing $188million of new funding in improved prevention and treatment services to reduce the harm that alcohol and drugs cause in the community. The government does not support drug injecting rooms.”
Opposition MP Jill Hennessy said: “Our policy, taken to the last election and remaining, is that we do not support the introduction of supervised injecting rooms.”
