Page 2029 - Week 07 - Thursday, 17 June 1993
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DRUGS - SELECT COMMITTEE
Report on Benzodiaze
pines and Dependence - Government Response
MR BERRY (Minister for Health, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Sport) (3.01): Madam Speaker, for the information of members, I present the Government's response to the interim report of the Select Committee on Drugs entitled Benzodiazepines and Dependence: 'A Tranquil Addiction?', and I move:
That the Assembly takes note of the paper.
I would like to thank the Select Committee on Drugs for its valuable report on benzodiazepines and dependence. The title for this report, A Tranquil Addiction?, reflects key elements of benzodiazepine addiction. The benzodiazepine group of drugs are designed to relieve stress, tension and anxiety, and in some cases induce sleep.
The nature of benzodiazepine dependence is complex and people experiencing problems are unlikely to beat down our doors seeking assistance. Withdrawal symptoms will occur in about 40 per cent of people using benzodiazepines regularly if their intake is reduced. Without expert advice and support on how to withdraw gradually, these symptoms can be extremely distressing. Yet, Madam Speaker, use of benzodiazepines appears to remove the will of people to insist on support or to identify its use as a major problem. In particular, the committee has identified that, for various reasons, prescribing these drugs for women is more common. This in itself has implications for the sort of education program and forms of therapeutic support that we should provide.
Madam Speaker, I commend the committee for bringing down a practical report which addresses relevant issues. The committee has made a series of recommendations relating to the assessment of needs, the monitoring of prescribing practices, and support services for people affected by benzodiazepine use. In responding to the recommendations, the Government is mindful of the competing priorities in the health budget. Madam Speaker, I believe that substantial progress can be made in implementing these recommendations even within this climate of restraint.
The first recommendation relates to obtaining data on usage within the ACT. It is essential to get a better picture of the extent of this problem. Data from both the Woden Valley Hospital and Calvary Hospital and records of presenting problems in non-government services will give some insight into the nature of the problem in the community. To conduct a fully fledged epidemiological study may cost in the vicinity of $125,000. The ACT Department of Health will be seeking this funding from an external source to commission the research study. The committee recommends that quarterly statistics be maintained about prescribing patterns and dose per 1,000 head of population. I understand, Madam Speaker, that the Health Department can set up systems to provide data on quarterly statistics. Regular reporting by pharmacies and subsequent analysis of data will have cost implications.
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