Govt claims credit for reduced drug use

[Brash]

Author: no byline

Date: 17 oct 2005

Source: ABC News Online

Copyright: © 2005 ABC

Link: article link

 

Monday, October 17, 2005

NSW Govt claims credit for reduced drug use

 

New South Wales Health Minister John Hatzistergos has claimed credit on behalf of the Government for falling rates of illicit drug use in the state.

 

But there is concern about the rising use of drugs such as ecstasy.

 

Addressing a conference of drug and alcohol agencies, the Health Minister says since 1999 heroin use has dropped 58 per cent.

 

There is also significant declines in the use of cocaine, cannabis and speed which he credits to government programs.

 

"Addressing the issues through the various programs, including the magistrates early referral into treatment program, the increased number of residential facilities to be able to deal with these issues," he said.

 

But one cloud on the horizon is the growing popularity of the party drug ecstasy.

 

Mr Hatzistergos says the Government is finalising its strategy to zero in on the problem at the moment.

Edited October 17, 2005 by Brash

[Mushaman]

significant declines in the use of cocaine, cannabis and speed

 

since 1999 heroin use has dropped 58 per cent.

 

where the hell does he get his numbers from ?

 

he's right about the increase in E use tho' .. n what about Ice .. the fastest most popular thing since bloody coca cola

 

my IMO comments from the coal face .... I guess the stats may be right but it certainly doesn't look or feel that way "out there' :whistling .. love to know details of how these figures are collected and 'interpreted'

[Tom]

I reckon that if our stupid governments would lay off the mj then most the other drug problems would cease to exist or be much reduced, but that would take intelligence and that seems to be sadly missing from the make-up of far too many of our "leaders".

 

[HighRising]

I'm not sure whether weed was legal or not would change much, as far as Es etc go.

I'd bet most E takers have tried weed first, anyways.

 

meth & crack are much bigger problem these days I think than anything else

 

MJ was never even a problem, the govt. is just full of shit

[Tom]

meth & crack are much bigger problem these days I think than anything else

Yeah, I know a couple of people with a meth problem, one heavily into it the other one trying to stay away from it. The one that's a heavy user is "not addicted" and she "doesn't have a problem" the other may not have the will power to leave it alone, I hope she does, both are single parents with a pre school age child.

 

The addicted one usually spends a bit of time telling me that mj is bad for you too, the way she is going she will be dead or committed within a few years.

 

[HighRising]

One of the girls at work, her brother flipped out on meth, smashed his g/fs car with a giant knife, then fully threatened to stab his sister... A good mate of mine was sitting in the back seat of the car, a hatchback, and he put the knife right through the back window

 

Didn't look like he was havin' a great time to me! Yet I talk to more and more people taking it. :scratchin

Edited October 17, 2005 by HighRising

[Mushaman]

I also have known a few Meth and Ice heads .. dozens and dozens of regular and weekend E users ... still know most of the E people and have no ongoing relationship with the Meth and Ice heads ..... thats for a reason

 

To me the meth n Ice people never look like they're enjoying it but always put me on edge .. like completely drunk people .... make me nervous ... too unpredictable.

 

The Gov needs to the $'s they spend on witchhunting smokers/growers and get stuck into the real problem drugs ..... as eeefffff

[WantDaChronic]

the Health Minister says since 1999 heroin use has dropped 58 per cent.

There is also significant declines in the use of cocaine, cannabis and speed which he credits to government programs.

 

ok heres an interesting question, who actually takes those drugs and will gladly and freely admit to their use to a government program?

 

i spose they could just be going on the amount of people going into treatment programs but all that means is that they are failing miserably in their efforts to reduce the drug taking in australia

 

so which is it? the government has its own dealers or users that are keeping tabs on sales and/or use OR the government is totally failing in their rehab programs? i know which one im inclined to believe, especially when they quote the use herion going down 58%

[Doob]

Govt claims credit for reduced drug use

other then the rehab programs (that have been there for ages), the govt has done nothing.

 

[Brash]

the Health Minister says since 1999 heroin use has dropped 58 per cent.

My understanding is that 1999 was a peak year for smack usage and since then organised crime has been increasingly putting its efforts toward the marketing of crystal - so its more about market forces than government intervention.