Rising cannabis use linked to grog bans

[kiwi_farmer]

By Jane Bardon

 

Posted Tue Nov 3, 2009 10:08am AEDT

Updated Tue Nov 3, 2009 10:22am AEDT

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11...?section=justin

© 2009 ABC

 

 

 

Alcohol bans imposed by the Federal Government under its intervention in Northern Territory Indigenous communities are increasing cannabis use, drug-use prevention experts say.

 

Dr John Howard from the National Cannabis Prevention Centre is one of the speakers at a national drug and alcohol conference being held in Darwin today.

 

He says a Federal Government report showing that alcohol and drug incidents in Territory communities have risen since the intervention highlights that simple bans are not dealing with the problem.

 

Dr Howard says under grog bans, heavy drinkers have switched to cannabis.

 

"Some people think, 'Okay, they're using cannabis, they'll be quiet, it will all be okay'," he said.

 

"And I think initially people were content with that and they felt, well, this is much better than the grog.

 

"But over time what many of the communities are seeing has been the concern about money.

 

"It's expensive, and so it's a drain then on resources again, like there was with grog, but secondly, some of the mental health concerns that are coming through with heavy use of cannabis."

 

He says substance abuse will not be substantially reduced until there are more economic opportunities in communities.

 

"When we've gone to communities where they said that it was there, it was not a predominant thing [before the intervention]," he said.

 

"But when they became dry, when there was a change, that there has been an increasing interest in another substance to help you get by.

 

"But I think that in many places where we allow a sense of hopelessness, or it's all too hard, to occur, why wouldn't you want to medicate yourself somehow to get through a day."

[MongyMan]

I wonder if this Dr John Howard from the National Cannabis Prevention Centre (NCPIC) is aware of what's going on in the UK atm? Has anyone sent him or the NPCIC an email asking why this isn't a good thing? Surly given that cannabis is of greatly less harm to societies than alcohol this has to be a move towards solving the substance abuse problems they speak of? yes?

 

This is just more bullshit scare tactics from the NCPIC...shame on you people. The day isn't far away when people like him and his organization will be shown for exactly what they are and are made to answer for it. (I hope for their sake the government doesn't drop them like a hot potato when it gets too hot, blaming them for the governments 'misguided' cannabis policies. Civil compensation claims or anything could follow.) The NPCIC are no more than social parasites, being paid to feed the government with whatever rubbish propaganda they need to continue their "war on drugs" as long as it suits.

 

 

Peace MongyMan

 

 

Ps. If anyone from the NCPIC reads this take note of this in my sig.....

 

When citizens require protection from their own government and need to cloak in secrecy acts of compassion for the sick and dying a great darkness befalls our nation.

 

[Crunchy]

"But over time what many of the communities are seeing has been the concern about money.

 

"It's expensive, and so it's a drain then on resources again, like there was with grog, but secondly, some of the mental health concerns that are coming through with heavy use of cannabis."

Dr. Howard should smarten the fuck up and read a few legit studies, if u wanna lower the price of cannabis you have to legalize it or completely decriminalize it.. duh.

 

 

"But I think that in many places where we allow a sense of hopelessness, or it's all too hard, to occur, why wouldn't you want to medicate yourself somehow to get through a day."

Indeed

[FalseID]

How many times do we have to ban things until we learn the fucking lesson?

 

Prohibition doesn't work. Make the place more bearable to live then you'll see less substance abuse as a means of escape. This is just another example of government preferring to hide the problem rather than fixing it.

[cybergenesis]

I am really stoned now and suddenly it appears apparent that marijuana is a godsend for aboriginal people. The more they smoke it, the more their people will be healed. The solution to fix the aboriginal people is to remove the poisonous alcohol from their communities and give out free marijuana. The government should also implement late night, free, munchie services for the hungry but it should be healthy food like fruit and vitamin capsules.

 

They should also offer carefully supervised morphine administration in certain circumstances in exchange for abstinence from alcohol.

Edited November 5, 2009 by cybergenesis

[FalseID]

Haha! Cyber, you're so fucking blasted.