No retreat in this fight: Anna Wood's parents want zero-tolerance

[poledriver]

Yeah good point christ.

 

[thestudent14]

It's alot easier for people to relate to a loved one dying from a drug rather then the help a drug has given to someone.

 

[spacejunk]

^ any benefits of drugs are ambiguous. people can doubt that a drug has 'helped' someone, but there is not really any ambiguity in losing a loved one. i just wish the media would leave the poor bloke alone.

 

[shoo-bop]

Massive props to Spacejunk for making the point (several posts ago) that I now want to reiterate: The fact that Anna Wood still gets brought up repeatedly actually demonstrates how relatively safe "ecstasy" is despite all the impurities, false presentation of other chemicals as "ecstasy", poor education, etc. If it was so dangerous that it was routinely killing people, we would have long ago forgot about Anna Wood, and either be wringing our hands over the dozens of ecstasy casualties that would have theoretically occurred in the last month, or, as with alcohol, be numbed to the massive problem and just be ignoring it. The fact that those who want to demonise it have to reach back 17 years to find their blonde, young, white cautionary example really says something.

Indeed, to the extent that the example of Anna Wood was repeatedly used to try to warn youth away from ecstasy, I think it may have backfired to an extent. When I moved to Australia in 1996, at the age of 15, my peers were already rather weary/cynical of the over-exposure of her story. (By the following year, some of those friends had started to try the demonic substance themselves and were raving (pun intended) about how great it was, and I distinctly remember one acquaintance who wrote "I'm on the drug that killed Anna Wood" in permanent marker on some article of his clothing!)

Gotta disagree with Busty saying there's no-one to blame because "shit happens". Yes, shit happens, but it happens more or less than it otherwise would depending on the quality of policies and education. The people who design those policies and education can therefore be blamed, at least partially.

 

[gimpan]

I do not blame society for keeping exstacy illegal, its just too big a gamble for little reward political or sociological. Its the smartest thing for them to do, now if any kids die they can say "well thats why you bloody well cant have em". They decriminalise and one idiot dies, laws will come back and most likely be alot harsher.

Its just fact that in this kind of society we have to calibrate our laws to suit the weakest.

Fight the good fight against these junky degenerates Woods's. Give em hell!!

 

[poledriver]

Wood's death was widely reported in the media and represented a change in how ecstasy-related stories were covered. Whereas previous ecstasy-related incidents had received minimal coverage and were reported in the context of crime, delinquency and secrecy, Wood's death was extensively covered and turned into a warning against illicit drug-use in society.[5] It was initially put forward in the media that the ecstasy tablet taken by Wood was probably laced with heroin or morphine[6]—the purported cause of her death—but the coroner's report determined that only MDMA was present in Wood's body.[4]

While her death renewed calls for a more hardline approach to be taken on drugs in the media and by politicians, critics pointed out that this "zero tolerance" approach may have scared Wood's friends into not taking her immediately to a hospital where her life could have been saved.[13]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Wood_(schoolgirl)

THE ANNA WOOD FOUNDATION

Book Description
At 15 Anna Wood went to a party and took an ecstasy tablet. Three days later she was dead. A life destroyed. A family devastated.

She was just fifteen. She was leaving school to start the job of her dreams. She was beautiful, she had a loving family and countless friends. Yet on 21 October 1995, Anna Wood took an ecstasy tablet at a dance party and died three days later. A life destroyed, a family devastated, a community in shock.

Bronwyn Donaghy interviewed friends, family members and numerous professionals in order to write the story of the circumstances surrounding Anna′s death and of her family′s decision to try and turn tragedy into a positive force for good.

It is a story of our times, a story with powerful resonances for Anna′s generation and their parents, for counsellors, doctors and teachers, for anyone who values the sanctity of life.

3 a teenager I have taken all kinds of drugs, not really knowing what they were and why I did it. Then I found this book. I vowed never to take drugs again but it′s just a shame it took the life of a beautiful, talented girl to make me realise how dangerous it was.′

BC, aged 17, New South Wales

I have never tried illicit drugs and although I was curious to do so ... the information provided in this book has scared me away from that forever.′

LO, aged 16, Western Australia

ҵre, I′ve had Mum and Dad give me lectures about not taking drugs and stuff but it didn′t really affect me until I read Anna′s Story and realised what they do to ordinary people just like me.′

AE, aged 15, Queensland

http://www.harpercollins.com.au/books/annas-story-bronwyn-donaghy/?isbn=9780732283025

REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF PARTY DRUG RELATED DEATHS

She was just fifteen. She was leaving school to start the job of her dreams. She was beautiful, she had a loving family and countless friends. Yet on 21st of October 1995, Anna Wood took an ecstasy tablet at a dance party and died three days later. A life destroyed, a family devastated, a community in shock.

So-called 'party drugs' such as Ecstasy, Speed and GHB fuel endless nights of dancing at clubs, parties and music festivals.
We need to open our eyes to the facts, the effects, and consequences of using club drugs.

ECSTASY is the street name given to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), which is generally classed as a stimulant with mild hallucinogenic properties. However, other drugs are sold as ecstasy, and ecstasy tablets often contain a range of drugs (including amphetamine, various amphetamine derivatives, caffeine, aspirin, paracetamol, or ketamine).

Ecstasy is usually sold as a tablet or capsule. The tablets are typically identified by a symbol impressed on the surface. This leads users to refer to them, as 'white doves', ' love hearts', etc.
Other common street names are 'E', 'Eccy', 'Adam' and 'XTC'.

Other party drugs include Ketamine PCP (phencyclidine), GHB, Fantasy, PMA (paramethoxy-amphetamine), LSD and Psilocybin.

The 2001 Australian National Drug Strategy Household Survey found that:

• Almost 1 million (6.1%) Australians >14 years had used ecstasy / party drugs
• 2.9% had used ecstasy / party drugs in the previous 12 months

The Illicit Drug Reporting System (IDRS) found in one national sample that the following was typical for ecstasy / party drug users:

• Around 25% use weekly to fortnightly
• Around 60% report ‘bingeing’ within last 6 months
• 52% reported ecstasy as their favourite drug

The diversity of 'Designer' or 'Party Drugs' used includes:
• Ketamine (Special K, kitkat, Vitamin K, K, Ket)
• PCP (angel dust, peace pill, crystal, hog, horse tranquilliser)
• PMA (paramethoxyamphetamine)
• MDA
• GHB (gammahydroxybutyrate or sodium oxybate) (Fantasy, liquid ecstasy)
• MDMA (ecstasy)
• LSD

High Risk Groups:

Young People Usually mid-teens or early to mid-20s

Forms

• Tablets
• Capsules
• Powder
• Liquid

The 'Ecstasy Experience' - 3 Phases

1. Coming Up

• Tightening of muscles (jaw)
• Dilated pupils, visual distortions
• Smooth or sudden nausea or vomiting
• Strong pulse
• Increased temperature
• Confusion
• Panic

2. Plateau

• Feelings of euphoria (‘peace’, ‘tranquility’, ‘joy’)
• Enhancement of emotions and empathy, increased sociability or closeness
• Heightened senses
• Increased energy
• Increased confidence
• Talkative
• Decreased urine output
• Increased thirst

3. Coming Down

• Physical exhaustion
• Depressed, flat
• Tired
• Anxious
• Irritable
• Paranoid

Immediate Effects of "PARTY DRUGS" include:

• Loss of appetite
• Dry mouth
• Tachycardia
• Hot and cold flushes
• Sweaty palms
• Liver damage
• Hyperthermia

One-week After Use:

• Depression or low mood
• Concentration and / or memory problems
• Panic disorders
• ‘flashbacks’
• Delusions

Ecstasy Overdose Symptoms:

• Fluid retention / renal failure
• Agitation, confused mental state, disordered speech, psychosis, hallucinations, convulsions, severe headache
• Tachycardia (resting heart rate >120 bpm)
• Hypertension / hypotension
• Hyperthermia (temp >38.6° C )
• Nausea or vomiting
• Excessive fluid consumption
• Muscle rigidity

Death may result from
- hyperthermia
- drug induced coma
- hepatic failure
- acute renal failure
- cardiovascular collapse

PARTY DRUGS ARE VERY DANGEROUS AND THERE IS NO SAFE USAGE

DRUGS KILL USERS WITHOUT WARNING

SAY "NO" TO PARTY DRUGS

 

[CrayZ]

^ so much fail in there it's a crying shame...

(psilocybin a party drug. are you fucking kidding me?)

 

[thestudent14]

Haha I've been to a party on Shroooooooomz, had to do a speech for my mates 21st, that night is one hektic experience haha.
Was passed out by 8pm in my mates car cause had been heavily drinking all day. Get woken up and get told to immediately eat these shroom caps.

It was a very disorientating trip, the way they portray drug use in movies where everything echoes really hard and moves and you doing the simplest of tasks is too much.

Never forget that night haha, good times.

 

[cosdog]

+1 spacejunk

 

[PeacePipeChief]

i should get my mates from hornsby (my hometown) to go piss him off lol , or atleast let him know how fucking ignorant and stupid he is ... bit slack tho his daughter dying and all .

 

[spacejunk]

cheers cosdog and shoo-bop

i should get my mates from hornsby (my hometown) to go piss him off lol , or atleast let him know how fucking ignorant and stupid he is ... bit slack tho his daughter dying and all .

^ that's not going to help anyone man. if anything, i'm sure you'd confirm his worst prejudices.
you're better off trying to educate your friends on safe practices. if informed drug users don't share this information, it seems very few other people are wiling to, in australia in 2012, anyways.
it is time we stopped feeling misrepresented and went about trying to change the maligned image of all drug users, rather than playing into the stereotype, don't you think?

 

[redsweater]

I have conflicting thoughts on this.

On one hand this girl was just a kid, her parents are obviously devastated especially when her death was preventable. I don't blame them for campaigning for hard drug policy.

On the other hand why should the loss of one life interfere with so many others. We know the risks and choose to accept them, its just human nature. What happened was a freak event, and many illegal drugs are no more dangerous than cigarettes or alcohol.

On the OTHER hand 32 kids were massacred in Syria today, and we are hung up about a girl that OD'd 17 years ago. Its a sad world.

 

[spacejunk]

^ that's true.
i think the point that was made earlier by myself and others is that what mr wood is pushing for is actually counter-productive; a hard-line approach is arguably what lead to the death of his young daughter, whereas a harm-minimisation approach may have prevented a pointless loss of life.
appreciate your perspective though - it is a cruel world indeed.

 

[sydkiwi]

Wasn't her legacy "Australians in the 25-35yr age group worlds no.1 users of ecstasy" 5-10yrs after her death? I'd have to check the UN website for the exact year that came out. And not to mention a leaked report for Sydney NYE 99/00 saying it was the least violent ever due to the large amount of ecstasy going around.

 

[Monstersquad]

I cringed so hard at the Anna Woods book.

Lsd a party drug? What the fuck?

 

[Busty St Clare]

What's a doof other than a large party in the bush?

 

[poledriver]

Back in the days of vibe tribe and ohms not bombs and trip2space (in syd) they used to do bush doofs but also warehouse and abandoned building doofs. Does a doof have to be in the bush? Isnt it more about the type of music, the way its set up with fluro shit and trippy shit everywhere and the people and drugs?

But yeah lsd can be a party drug cant it?

 

[Busty St Clare]

I always called warehouse parties "raves" and bush parties "doofs". I don't really believe large commercial festivals hosted in a sports arena like Rod Laver should be called a rave either but I am an old cunt To me a doof needs a campfire, starry skies, the ability to dance barefoot and at least an hour road trip into the unknown. Definitely would never call a club night a doof no matter what the crowd dressed like.

You get the hard core doof purists who believe it should only be psytrance played but I have seen even some alt country mixed into a dj set that caused a dust cloud to erupt over the dance floor. Things have to evolve otherwise we would be still all listening to disco.

 

[poledriver]

yeah i generally agree with that. altho some of the doof promoters and rave promoters were forced into clubs at certain times when the authorities were in on shit or busted the venue or whatever, and they were still a 'rave' or a 'doof'.. 61 regent st in sydney was an example i guess for both those kinda styles...yeah raves at huge sports stadiums (utopia) lose alot of the appeal for me, so many thousand kids. When i first started raving it was all adults over 21 mainly and they were mostly English people or Irish or Scottish. And us young kids (16/17/18 and aussie) were the odd ones out. Then 10 years later all the English adults left the scene and even younger kids came thru and started going to them (13,14,15 like anna)

You woulda had to experience it i guess. But people with purple dreds and barefeet and some with their animals and all sorts of shit. lol. If it was a rave it was rave music, rave crowd, more E's and Speed and some acid, if it was a doof, alot more acid in various forms, cubes, dots, blotters etc, less e's and speed.

I'm going to get busted for going off topic again... ah well.

Oh back on topic tho, the 'rave' Anna went to 'apache' at the phoenician club (now gone) in broadway sydney was a licensed club with pokies n shit, it was still a rave tho, done up to the hilt with lights and decos and all sorts of things.

 

[Monstersquad]

But yeah lsd can be a party drug cant it?

Atleast not in my opinion man, heaps of people + acid = bad times usually.
I always see acid as a drug you're supposed to chill with, not "get fucked up on" at some doof or party.