Snapshot of drug use 2012

[Ashley]

It's not laziness that leads people to share needles - it's addiction.

I agree 100%.

 

[laugh]

Good to see that the war on drugs is working.

id like to see a figure on the revenue raised from fines, taxes dished out

 

[tentram]

Hey Tentram you've pretty much backed what I posted 100%. It's not laziness that leads people to share needles - it's addiction.

no argument there at all, mate but there is an element of laziness, you can't deny that, imo of course.

 

[spacejunk]

^ also, sadly still today of risk-taking as a form of camaraderie IMO. idiots goading each other into unnecessarily risky practices for the sake of saving face or looking tough to their mates. hell, if you're shooting smack, what's the next step of self abuse you can take?

while IDU's are far more at risk than people that use glass oil ("crack"/ice pipes) and pot smokers with bongs etc, i really think the banning of such paraphernalia is a big step in the wrong direction in regard to harm reduction. needles must be available to users. it's essential.
but if kids are smoking through plastic pen tubes our out of aluminium cans (plus ink, paint etc) there must be considerable risks in doing so.

...and then there's the issue of escalation. can't get a glass pipe to smoke meth? well, the chemist down the road sells fits, no questions asked.
sad, because, australia used to be a world leader in progressive measures that reduced harm to drug users; which is supposed to be one of the key points of prohibition to start with....right? the waters are so muddy in regard to that, that i doubt anyone in favour of banning drugs could deliver a sensible, rational argument as to why some drugs are ok, some aren't, and some fly completely under the radar.
it's a crazy world we live in, but i bet the potential harms of smoking a bit of cannabis in a bong (for example) have increased since most (if not all) have "banned" the sale of such things.
seems odd to me, when my hometown has had a headshop that has been around for 30+ years.
i have a suspicion that the shady, brazen indiscreet chain store that seems to be popping up all around the place (that does piercing ad sells shitty clothes etc) may have had a hand in this, but who knows? maybe just another crop of politicians' crusade.
political rhetoric isn't exactly known for its rational arguments...but a little sensitivity to the social costs of these "tough on drugs" platforms would be less insulting to our intelligence.

 

[bunnymunro]

^.

...and then there's the issue of escalation. can't get a glass pipe to smoke meth? well, the chemist down the road sells fits, no questions asked.
.

I hadn't thought about this before, but I believe it lacks substance... perhaps for some people at some times... from experience and I am sure there will not be many who disagree, that the decision to IV is a massive step from other ROAs. And if you had no glassware, there are lightbulbs, I have used wineglasses etc... not ideal, but can work. To take the step to IV because there is no other routes of administration is just an excuse to IV. (thats how it was for me, anyhow). We all know the inherent dangers and rewards from injecting, but I don't believe that the unavailability of a glassie is going to set someone up for IV when they have a polymer note and ad a lighter to crush the shards with and snort it.
As a good mate said to me one time... "god gave me three holes in which to take drugs... I dont reckon I need any more.."
I am not putting down IV users at all, I dont mind a blast from time to time... just saying that its a big step from other ROAs as it bypasses all, or most of our body's natural barriers to all sorts of things.%)

 

[spacejunk]

^ yeah, i don't disagree, just putting it out there, i suppose.
you are absolutely right about the leap to IV drug use - but i suppose what is 'normal' in drug circles is often what is being done by the people that you first consume those drugs with. i guess i was a bit of an out of control kid when meth came into my world (it has long since gone, by the way) and IV didn't seem like such a bad idea...but i wasn't really that concerned or aware of my own mortality in those days.
other, more sensible users probably weigh up the risks, like you say.

while IDUs are the drug users most at risk of drug related harm, and clean needles should absolutely be available to anyone that wants them, i think there is a double standard (of sorts) in not allowing people to buy things used to smoke cannabis. or meth/hash oil/whatever you'd put in a glass pipe (i hate vaping DMT in those things).
i'm not sure what the legality of (cannabis) vaporisers are...but this is obviously (to me) the safest way to have a toke of weed.

i just started a thread on this topic, so it may be worth continuing discussion there

 

[tentram]

^ also, sadly still today of risk-taking as a form of camaraderie IMO. idiots goading each other into unnecessarily risky practices for the sake of saving face or looking tough to their mates. hell, if you're shooting smack, what's the next step of self abuse you can take?

it's sad but true, unfortunately. when i mentioned earlier of being offered a used rig and refusing it they were trying to push me into using it, telling me there's no risk, they're clean etc, etc. i don't give a fuck if they present a recent blood test which proves it, i'm not going to share. AT ALL. these people weren't exactly upstanding citizens and pretty damn shady in some respects.

...and then there's the issue of escalation. can't get a glass pipe to smoke meth? well, the chemist down the road sells fits, no questions asked.

you're right, and i'd never even had that cross my mind. great point there, spacejunk!