THE DISCUSSION OPENS WITH A REVIEW OF THE HISTORY AND ORGANIZATION OF DRUG ABUSE CONTROL ACTIVITIES IN AUSTRALIA, INCLUDING THE WORK OF THE NATIONAL STANDING CONTROL COMMITTEE, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1969 TO COORDINATE ALL COMMONWEALTH AND STATE ACTIVITIES IN THE AREA OF DRUG ABUSE. THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND INTERRELATIONSHIPS OF THE VARIOUS GOVERNMENT AGENCIES INVOLVED IN GOVERNMENT DRUG CONTROL ACTIVITIES--LAW ENFORCEMENT, REHABILITATION AND TREATMENT, PUBLIC EDUCATION--ARE DESCRIBED. PROBLEMS IN QUANTIFYING AUSTRALIA'S DRUG PROBLEM ARE DISCUSSED, WITH REFERENCE TO VARIOUS INDICATORS THAT MIGHT BE USED TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT AND NATURE OF THE PROBLEM. STATISTICS INDICATING AN OVERALL INCREASE IN ILLICIT DRUG ABUSE IN AUSTRALIA SINCE 1970 ARE CITED, AND A SUMMARY OF THE ILLICIT DRUG SUPPLY SITUATION FOR OPIATES, CANNABIS, LSD, AND COCAINE IS PRESENTED. REGIONAL ATTITUDES REGARDING THE DRUG PROBLEM IS SOUTHEAST ASIA ARE DISCUSSED, AND THE DRUG SITUATION IN THAT REGION IS ASSESSED. SIMILAR ASSESSMENTS ARE MADE OF DRUG ATTITUDES IN AUSTRALIA AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. THE LIKELIHOOD THAT ILLICIT USE OF HEROIN AND MARIHUANA WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN AUSTRALIA IS OBSERVED. EFFORTS TO RATIONALIZE AUSTRALIA'S DRUG LAWS, POSSIBLY BY REDUCING THE MULTIPLICITY OF LEGISLATION TO A SINGLE LAW ADMINISTERED JOINTLY BY THE COMMONWEALTH AND THE INDIVIDUAL STATES, ARE URGED. MORE SEVERE SANCTIONS AGAINST HEROIN TRAFFICKERS AND DEALERS ARE PREDICTED. GREATER ATTENTION TO DRUG-RELATED DATA BASES, ENFORCEMENT EXPERTISE, EDUCATION PROGRAMS, AND REGIONAL COOPERATION IS ALSO ADVISED. (LKM)