Drug council rejects medical bills plan

The Gold Coast Drug Council says a federal MP's proposal to charge recreational drug users their own medical costs is flawed.

The federal Member for Moncrieff, Stephen Ciobo, wants people who use amphetamines and other recreational drugs to pay their own medical bills.

He says the system would act as a deterrent to drug use.

Drug council president Sean Cousins has doubts about the plan and says it could discourage people from seeking treatment.

"A hospital is all about treating people, not interviewing you and seeing whether you are going to pay or not pay," he said.

"Are we going to discourage smoking-related illness by asking them to pay? Are we going to ask for alcohol-related illnesses to pay for their treatment?

"Any public debate on the wider issue is a good thing, but we want to encourage people into treatment."