HOWARD DENIES ATTEMPTING TO INFLUENCE INCB

Prime Minister John Howard today denied trying to influence the International Narcotics Control Board ( INCB ) in its decision on supervised injecting rooms.

The Age reported today that Australia's foremost drugs policy adviser David Penington suggested Mr Howard and his office influenced the INCB to produce a report attacking the planned trials of supervised heroin injecting rooms in Australia.

The UN drug experts warned governments yesterday they risked breaking international law by approving drug injection centres.

"I reject totally Professor David Penington's claim that I or my office sought to influence the comments about supervised injecting rooms published in the Annual Report of the International Narcotics Control Board," Mr Howard said.

"I think it's absurd to suggest that my views would have nobbled the views of the Narcotics Board.

"My views on this matter are well-known."

Prof Penington, the chairman of Victoria's drug policy expert committee, said it appeared the INCB's criticisms had been strongly influenced by Mr Howard but he had no evidence to support his statements.

The comments from the INCB were remarkably consistent with the views of Mr Howard, Prof Penington said.

Mr Howard said considering Prof Penington had admitted he could not back up his claims, he should never have made them.

"To suggest that there was any intervention to induce a report in particular terms was not only false but offensive to the board and to the government," Mr Howard said.

"He will be well aware that the International Narcotics Control Board has been consistently opposed to injecting rooms and that therefore its latest criticism is barely surprising."

The NSW state government late last year approved Australia's first legalised heroin injecting room trial which is to be run by the Uniting Church.  The Church is still looking at an appropriate location.