NEWS: Ice Pipes

Pipes on sale anger police
By PAUL ANDERSON
10oct03

DOZENS of Melbourne shops are selling pipes to help drug users smoke a mind-bending and deadly form of amphetamine.

Custom-made pipes used for smoking the drug, known as ice, are being sold at shops openly, despite warnings from police and drug counsellors about its catastrophic effects.
Ice, a crystallised form of speed also known as crystal meth or crank, is now popular with heroin users and is a trendy narcotic for young people in Melbourne's nightclub scene.

The drug can cause homicidal tendencies, psychotic episodes, hallucinations and death.

While police intelligence suggests Vietnamese and Russian crime gangs are importing ice, detectives say it can also be produced in suburban backyard sheds and factories.

Detective Inspector Bob Hill, of the major drug investigation division, said there had been a marked increase in the number of ice seizures in Victoria in recent times.

"Only last week we seized approximately 1kg with an estimated street value of a quarter of a million dollars," he said.

Easy to purchase for about $220 a gram, or $50 a hit, ice is smoked after it is heated. Its effect is similar to that of crack cocaine, a killer drug common in the US.

Police are angry ice pipes are openly available in alternative lifestyle shops where other smoking apparatus is sold.

Police would not officially comment on the legal sale of ice pipes, saying it was a matter for the State Government.

"We're more worried about the drug itself," one officer said.

A spokesman for Police Minister Andre Haermeyer said: "The minister is happy to look at any proposal concerning drug paraphernalia, but of course there are obviously some legal uses for it and that would need to be taken into account."

Police sources on the street said it was frustrating that legislation allowed the sale of ice-related paraphernalia.

"It's very disconcerting that these ice pipes are available," a southern suburbs detective, who has confronted ice users, said. "The pipes only make it easier for people to use this junk. They should be withdrawn."

Ice pipes are freely available at stores across Melbourne; some shops even trade at family shopping complexes.

The Herald Sun purchased three this week for between $15 and $45.

One store attendant even offered advice on how to best use an ice pipe and, when asked, advised which would be the easiest to conceal.

Det-Insp Hill would not comment on the availability of ice pipes but said the drug itself, whether used by experienced or recreational drug users, was highly addictive.

"Smoking the drug in this way causes it to rapidly enter the system. People using ice in this way can develop psychosis and abnormal behaviour," Det-Insp Hill said.

"This drug will create a group of addicted people who were previously not drug-dependent."

An inner-suburban police officer said:

"Its effect can last for days. The users are really prone to violence. They just smash everything up.

"When you're trying to apprehend them, you have to use a lot of (capsicum) spray on them."

Youth worker Les Twentyman said ice was creating violence and many heroin users were turning to the drug.

"People with an addiction will take anything to escape their misery," he said.

"Ice makes them so scrambled they don't know what they're on. They're not in control."

oh, ffs...maybe the fucking police should get over shit like this and concentrate on things that are a little more important. it's not like they're being sold with happy meals or advertised to children is it. people aren't going to buy them accidentally. i don't even know why they bother running a story like this, as it achieves nothing. drug paraphenalia is always going to be sold as long as people are still consuming drugs, so it really shouldn't be such a surprise that it's so easily obtainable. fucking hell, i really don't think that glass pipes are a new entry into the market exactly, either

I was recently enquiring about the legality and availability of said products at a local perth paraphernalia shop. I gathered that they have become a watched and frowned apon import at least in Perth, the store owner saying they are becoming harder to get and more expensive. Nothing stopping a local glass blower to make them and cash in on a seeming bottomless market.

Although a somewhat typical 'oh my god how bad are drugs, think of the childeren' article, I can't say I completely disagree with the message. Smoking crystal methamphetamine is damm addictive, can cause huge problem for people if use is not kept in check(I've seen this in my own circle) and its popularity is soaring.

Forget the Pipes

Get yourself a glass tube and do some hot rails.

It's the way to GO!!!

I really think that was a pretty fair article. For starters the pricing was accurate, if not a little on the conservative side. It lacks the usual pointless scaremongering lies you usually see in the media (Think $5 herion starter packs being sold to school children at bus stops - a courier mail favourite, and the old rat poison pills found before anyone is actually killed). The cop even states that they are more worried about the drug itself.

Smoking ice is highly addictive, not just the drug but the whole ritual involved in smoking it. I don't think free basing pipes should be available to buy, it makes it too easy for some people.

You don't need to lie about crystal meth, the reality of it is bad enough.

I'm not so sure that's the way to go....

Smoking ice is highly addictive, not just the drug but the whole ritual involved in smoking it. I don't think free basing pipes should be available to buy, it makes it too easy for some people

Click to expand...

I do worry though that it sounds a bit like taking needles away so that people won't shoot up. They will find away regardless. What it does take away is convenience, forcing people to improvise and possibly [?] do more harm.

Don't get me wrong, I am fully aware of the damage from vapourising meth. But taking away or banning utensils is a bit like shutting the gate after the horse has bolted. If you've already got the goods, they're as good as consumed, often with whatever's required laid out like a dinner table in anticipation. The point is the practice is not limited to commercial availability of utensils.

There needs to more messages about the form of administration. And that means hearing the same questions and ghastly tales over and over ( a necessary and definite part of any rehabilitation IMO - to tell ones story). It must be continuously emphasised that there is a marked difference in effects from this route of administration. I don't wish to knock any user, especially not those who rigorously adhere to a safe frequency of use, but some things have been repeatedly shown to be harder to keep on course. Basing is one, whether the summit is a place you leave or strive for.

glass pipes have been stoled at these type of store for as long as I can remember..

easier access to buying a pipe, increasing the number of users.. ahha what bs.

I definitely hear what you're saying Phase Dancer, however there are a few differences that I think are important. Firstly its relatively easy to make a your own free basing pipe, and the home made ones don't really add to the danger of the practise - this differs markedly from needle use, you can't really make your own injecting rig, and the alternative is sharing which is obviously extremely risky. Secondly there is already a huge amount of information available regarding safe needle use, and when you go to the free distribution points you often get literature along with it - you can't really get into needles without hearing about the risks - this is not the case for free basing pipes. Lastly needles aren't sold for profit, they are given to junkies - I can't see them giving away free basing pipes to addicts because the benefits would be far outweighed by the harm it would do. Sure some people will improvise when their regular source is unable to help them, but that probably won't do them any additional harm, but it will definitely stop some people from starting up the practice.

Hrmm I read this article in the paper today, and it made me remember that the night before I had been to a certain Melbourne shopping centre, and that one of the shops there sold pipes for smoking and railing, as well as bongs etc etc.

I know kids are going to find these shops in the city, and it probably wouldn't make much of a difference where these shops are, but should shops that sell this sort of drug paraphenalia be in family shopping centres? Note that this shopping centre is full of impressionable kids.

"This drug will create a group of addicted people who were previously not drug-dependent."

Click to expand...

I agree with that statement if the word "will" is replaced with can .


However then they throw in comments like this, you can only really just say WTF:

"Its effect can last for days. The users are really prone to violence. They just smash everything up.

Click to expand...

"When you're trying to apprehend them, you have to use a lot of (capsicum) spray on them."

Click to expand...

I certainly derived great pleasure in reading this article, after emerging from my room after a 2 day essay+tweak session. bahahahahaha...

I see your point bobrick and of course there is little comparison between needle supply and availability of pipes and I agree that pipes are much easier to fashion than a needle and syringe.

Firstly its relatively easy to make a your own free basing pipe, and the home made ones don't really add to the danger of the practise

Click to expand...

I was referring to burning off aluminum foil or in a broken light bulb, which is quite possibly what people may turn to if pipes were suddenly unavailable.

Sure some people will improvise when their regular source is unable to help them, but that probably won't do them any additional harm, but it will definitely stop some people from starting up the practice.

Click to expand...

Maybe a few. But most people start by using with others. I'm sure it wouldn't take much for the first time user to rush home after his first hit with his new little baggie and knock something up from round the home.

I think it's Intent to use that should be the focus of harm reduction education (HR as in the BL rather than the UN definition). Restricting things only makes the seek & find much more exciting. It almost the dissidents' motto


pekkie wrote:

I know kids are going to find these shops in the city, and it probably wouldn't make much of a difference where these shops are, but should shops that sell this sort of drug paraphenalia be in family shopping centres? Note that this shopping centre is full of impressionable kids.

Click to expand...

Absolutely not IMO, but that responsibility falls on town planners, shop leasing agreements etc. It doesn't mean the products should be banned, but rather the retailer should be bound by contract to provide merchandise which is OK'ed by center management, perhaps reviewable every 12 months. I thought such things already existed. If you feel strongly enough about it then perhaps approaching center management is the first step (after the shop owner). I don't see why this merchandise isn't restricted to those 18+ just like cigarettes etc. That way tricky items could be kept out of sight from young impressionable eyes.

IMO the media and whoever else is worried about pipes being sold should just get over it.. the paraphenalia is not illegal, the product is.. why is there such an issue over a little glass pipe, even before these items could be found the same stores(including smoke shops in family shopping centres) were, and still are displaying walls of bongs, was there any media attention about that? No.
yes it CAN be addictive, i know this as well as anyone else, it can cause damage, but people who are using to excess the cause that much harm will just find another way to fuck themselves up...
i see more harm in smoking of tinfoil or out of a broken lightbulb.
pipes should be restricted to 18+ sales and that should be the end of it... the fact of the matter is that underagers will still get them.
i spose what pisses me off the most is the fact that the media can be so missinformed. i know its true in nearly every article published but with the 'war on drugs' you'd think they would learn in order to publish something that wont just be laughed upon by a large number of australians.
well thats my rant, im off to work.
DfI

What's to stop someone buying a pipe over the Internet? I agree with Phase_Dancer, banning their sale is just encouraging even more dangerous practices like smoking off foil.

Exactly - where there's a will there's a way. Might as well let people do it the safest possible way (if there is such a thing) rather than forcing them to use proven more dangerous alternatives such as smoking it off foil.

Or....people could just stop smoking this shit and realize the damage that it can do to you. Arent some things just NOT worth it?

Yeah, just say NO!

Better people smoking from a glass pipe than smoking off tin-foil IMO

Or....people could just stop smoking this shit and realize the damage that it can do to you. Arent some things just NOT worth it?

Click to expand...

8)

PS: i think if anything, articles like this expose smoking meth to a wider range of people, people who otherwise wouldn't have been exposed to it and who aren't necessarily going to concern themselves with the risks...