1n 1999, 737 Australians died of a heroin overdose. This is double what it was in 1993. Prime Minister John Howard was elected in 1996, and only now, after 5 years has he finally acknowledged the drug problem in Australia.

Recently the government has introduced a 27 million dollar anti-drugs strategy. This strategy, which will include education, crime prevention, law enforcement and rehabilitation, is already underway.

A parental education booklet was sent to every household last week, explaining to parents the effects drugs have on teenagers and what to look out for. In this booklet John Howard has strongly stated that 'Parents guidance has strongest influence on children than anything else." By making statements such as these he is trying to put the blame on parents, not taking any responsibility on his behalf. He does not seem to realize the majority of children will listen to friends before their parents; all the morals in the world will not stop reckless teenagers.

To follow up this booklet are a set of television commercials set up to shock viewers. Drug experts believe the ads will only shock the parents watching them. The ads

If the government wants to reach out to the youth of Australia, obviously he must be able to associate with them. Last week he was given the perfect chance to do this. Mr. Howard was given the chance to speak about his new campaign on triple j, Australia's biggest youth audience radio station. When given questions about his campaign he failed to associate with viewers, sounding like a parent full of morals and a very one-sided view towards drugs. When the interviewer suggested that a lot of drug users came from dysfunctional homes and did not have parents to talk to he said that was plainly ridiculous. He believes all families can have good relationships.

The truth is their will never be a drug free Australia and the sooner the Government realizes this the sooner some better action can be taken. Children need to have the self-esteem to say no to drugs and not just the ethics the government is trying to force into their heads. If the Government can work out ways to stop the boredom, low self esteem and curiosity of the youth today then maybe a strategy like this would work, but unfortunately he will not change his stubborn views that are not helping Australia at all. If Mr Howard keeps going the way he is it will send people into more of a downward spiral of isolation, which may end in more overdoses, people taking up drugs and suicide.

One person who is not happy about the new strategy is premier Steve Bracks who plans on putting more money into rehabilitatio

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