Heroin Droight to End?

Federal Police Commissioner Keelty has claimed that Australia’s heroin drought is not over. But for how long?

Commissioner Keelty claims that Australia’s heroin seizure rate increased from 8 Kg per million population in 1995 to 30 Kg in 2000.

(Source: Melbourne Herald Sun 7/5/2004)

60 Minutes disclosed that heroin production in Afghanistan is at record levels even though Australians are part of the 20,000 occupying forces.

60 Minutes disclosed that half of the national income from Afghanistan comes from growing opium and selling heroin.

The next heroin hit by an Australia drug user may be from heroin from Afghanistan according to 60 Minutes presenter Richard Carleton.

60 Minutes claim Afghanistan supplies 75 per cent of the world’s heroin.

(Source: 60 Minutes program on the Nine Network shown 23/5/04)

However the US Office of National drug Control Policy claims that the true figure is 80 per cent of the world’s heroin comes from Afghanistan.

Afghanistan’s 2004 opium poppy crop will soar to a world record of 120,000 hectares.

Afghan warlords that control the regional areas use the money from heroin to fund their soldiers.

Afghan Interior Minister Ali Ahmad Jalili claims that terrorists are funding their operations through the illicit drug trade.

(Source: Front Page magazine 20/5/04)

Australian Customs and Police have been successful in slowing drug shipments but how will they cope with Afghanistan’s record crop?

Australia must reduce the demand for illicit drugs by empowering its courts to divert users into detoxification and rehabilitation.