NEWS: Herald Sun - 21/08/2006 'Speed claims more addicts'

Speed claims more addicts
Mark Buttler
August 21, 2006 12:00am

TWICE as many drug users are hooked on amphetamines than are addicted to heroin, police say.

And there is growing concern at the vast numbers taking to the violence-inducing methamphetamine known as ice.

A surge in the drug's popularity is feared to be linked to hundreds of violent crimes statewide and rising numbers of cases of psychosis.

Det-Insp Steven Smith of the Victoria Police drug taskforce said ice was an extremely hazardous amphetamine in its purest form.

Det-Insp Smith said it was highly addictive and could generate a dangerous mix of violent urges, paranoia, irrational feelings and increased strength in users.

He said it was believed most ice was being imported from SouthEast Asia in huge "maxi-labs" rather than being made here.

Det-Insp Smith said one factory found last month in Malaysia was capable of producing 60kg of the drug every day.

Similar factories had been found in Fiji, Thailand and Indonesia.

A leading counsellor said that in 37 years' experience with the drug scene, he had never seen anything to rival the damage caused by ice.

Richard Smith, of the Raymond Hader Clinic, said he was seeing increasing numbers of young people needing help.

Mr Smith said there had also been a surge in the number of despairing parents visiting to get answers to how to deal with sons and daughters being destroyed by ice.

"This is the worst epidemic I've seen. It's driving people insane," he said.

Doctors have reported an increasing risk level from violent patients addicted to ice.

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From Herald Sun

He said it was believed most ice was being imported from SouthEast Asia in huge "maxi-labs" rather than being made here.

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What? Fucking herald sun journo's! Must be a slow news day, that report is nothing but an attempt to sell newspapers with a bit of good ol fear mongering!8) They shouldn't be allowed to print reports that just recycle the same old bs!

This is the worst epidemic I've seen. It's driving people insane," he said.

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Its funny how they demonise drugs.

Since the Heroin drought everyone has turned to Methamphetamines. New party drug users are also much more likely to be interested and attracted to the stimulant properties of meth and its easy to get addicted before you even realise it. Smoking rock with your friends is cool and trendy these days apparently.

I would think a lot of the high purity meth could have been coming from overseas until recently. The bikies were always known for their 'speed'. Production methods and chemists have probably improved a bit over the last few years and demand for the higher purity smokable rock has grown though.

Drugs Are Not The Source Of Paranoia

Det-Insp Smith said it was highly addictive and could generate a dangerous mix of violent urges, paranoia, irrational feelings and increased strength in users.

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"speed" does not make someone violent, irrational or paranoid - or increase your strength. (Where is the psychological basis for that piece of bullshit)

The use amphetamines has a well know & notable consequence of preventing sleep.

It is also well known that a lack of sleep (be it drug induced or not) will cause psychosis.

Psychosis in combination with emotional issue (anger and denial) and mental illness can precipitate paranoia. Individuals with the above problems tend to act out violently against their psychosis induced paranoia.

But what I find so disgusting is the "increased strength" line. There is no increase – how can there be a net increase in your muscle mass by taking amphetamines? Is it a steroid?

When one is having psychosis induced paranoia the body will respond with significant production of stress hormones – fight or flight hormones – most notably adrenalin.

This chemical block pain responses allowing you to utilise your strength far beyond what you normally would because what’s a bit of muscle damage when your been attacked by a tiger. You’ve got to either fight it and use all your strength or run from it and again use your strength. Pain tells you that your damaging your body so adrenalin is designed to let you fight or run to avoid death, at the cost of a bit of muscle damage.

For example mums who pick up cars off their crushed babies would definitely have massive & major muscle damage - they simply just don't feel the pain when they are imbued with this "increased strength".

So all in all the “facts” put forth by the detective are just utter myths.

This is how bullshit becomes fact when it gets told by a person in authority but has no direct qualifications or knowledge in the area that there making a claim in. These people are simpletons who rely conjecture and anecdotal evidence – its all about cause, effect and consequence. They see someone take speed. They see that person get violent a few days later. Oh it must be the speed that caused that behaviour.

Then again the police force is not know for recruiting intelligent people

They always have the "killer" drug, first marijuana turned ppl into monsters, then it was heroin and cocaine, pcp is always talked about like it makes ppl become killers and rapists, now meth.

Herald Sun journalists.. fucking idiots, they must be on drugs!

Now I know this article is a tad far fetched to say the least, but seriously, you guys are sticking up for METHAMPHETAMINE... Can you think of a more dangerous drug on this planet? I know from personal experience how addictive and life destroying this shit can be. Or is Australia so full of tweakers these days that we ignore the dangers of meth?