MEETING HEARS LACK OF TREATMENT KILLING MANY DRUG USERS

A national meeting on drugs has heard one Tasmanian dies every 10 days
because they cannot get treatment for drug problems.

The Australian National Council on Drugs, meeting in Hobart, has
focused on concerns about a lack of treatment programs and resources
for drug users.

A member of the council, Associate Professor Robert Ali, says
Tasmania's decision to cap its methadone program is an urgent concern
which much be addressed.

Professor Ali says the state could easily double its treatment
capacity and still have unmet demand.

"There's about every 10 days there's one Tasmanian dying because
they're not getting access to treatment," he said.

"That's a very disturbing fact, there's problems about the risk of HIV
growing in this community, violence, crime, these are very serious
problems that the community has to grapple with."