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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2)
2013-07-23 Daily Xml
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PRISONERS, DRUG ADDICTION

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (14:54): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the minister representing the Minister for Health and Substance Abuse about the treatment of drug-addicted prisoners.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD: A recent freedom of information request about methadone and the treatment of prisoners specifically revealed that 14 per cent of all South Australian prisoners are on methadone or Suboxone treatment for opioid addiction currently. The request also revealed that SA Prison Health Services do not even keep records of the number of prisoners who have become drug free through such programs. It appears that there is no plan other than to continue with methadone or Suboxone treatment indefinitely, thus maintaining the addiction to opioids when prisoners leave gaol. My questions to the minister are:

1. Has SA Prison Health Services considered the option of using the highly-controlled environment of prison to overcome drug addiction of prisoners before their release in a medically supervised manner?

2. Does the minister accept that imprisonment presents the ideal opportunity to overcome drug addiction in prisoners and that this opportunity is indeed one that should be used appropriately?

3. For long-term prisoners in particular, such as those serving, say, 10 years or more, does the minister consider that it is better for the prisoner to become drug free over that period during the term of imprisonment rather than maintain their addiction to opioids through methadone or something similar?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (14:55): I thank the honourable member for his important questions and undertake to take those questions about methadone treatment of prisoners to the appropriate minister in the other place, being the Minister for Health and Ageing, I think.

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