THE EVOLUTION OF AUSTRALIA'S 'MODERN' DRUG PROBLEM IS TRACED FROM THE FIRST USE OF AMPHETAMINES BY LONG-DISTANCE TRANSPORT DRIVERS IN THE EARLY 1950'S TO THE INCREASING USE OF ALL TYPES OF DRUGS, PARTICULARLY BY YOUNG PEOPLE, SINCE 1970. IT IS NOTED THAT ALL AUSTRALIAN STATES AND TERRITORIES HAVE SPECIAL POLICE DRUG SQUADS, MOST OF WHICH HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED SINCE 1965. THE SUCCESS OF A CONCERTED EFFORT TO ELIMINATE AMPHETAMINE ABUSE IS POINTED OUT. VICTORIA POLICE STATISTICS SHOWING AN INCREASE IN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DRUG OFFENDERS FROM 715 IN 1973 TO 1,935 IN 1976 ARE CITED, AND THE VICTORIA POLICE DRUG SQUAD'S ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS ARE DISCUSSED. MOST PERSONS DETECTED BY THE SQUAD ARE CHARGED ONLY WITH POSSESSION OFFENSES, ALTHOUGH POLICE ARE IMPROVING THEIR DETECTION RECORD FOR DRUG TRAFFICKERS, PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO TRAFFIC IN HEROIN AND CANNABIS. THE SQUADS VIEW THE TRAFFICKER AS THEIR PRIME TARGET, AND EXPECT THEIR EFFORTS TO BE AIDED BY LEGISLATION PERMITTING TRAFFICKING CHARGES TO BE BROUGHT AGAINST PERSONS FOUND IN POSSESSION OF LARGE AMOUNTS OF CERTAIN DRUGS, EVEN IN THE ABSENCE OF EVIDENCE THAT AN ACTUAL SALE HAS BEEN MADE. CANNABIS PRESENTS THE MOST TROUBLESOME ENFORCEMENT PROBLEM TO THE DRUG SQUADS. PHARMACY BURGLARIES IN VICTORIA HAVE DECREASED SINCE 1974 BUT CONTINUE TO CONSTITUTE A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE STATE'S TOTAL DRUG-RELATED CRIME. A PARTICULARLY SERIOUS TREND HAS BEEN THE INCREASE IN ARMED ROBBERIES AGAINST PHARMACISTS. THEFTS FROM PHYSICIANS' OFFICES AND AUTOMOBILES ALSO HAVE BEEN ADDING TO DRUG SQUAD CASELOADS. DRUG SQUAD MEMBERS ARE INVOLVED IN EDUCATING OTHER POLICE ABOUT DRUGS AND IN PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS. THE NEED TO DEVOTE MORE MANPOWER AND OTHER RESOURCES TO DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT AND TO ENHANCE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE DRUG PROBLEM IS NOTED. SUPPORTING DATA ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)