poledriver
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2005
- Messages
- 11,543
Criminal sanctions only exacerbate Australia’s drug problem
It is now 19 years ago that my 23-year-old son Damien died from a heroin overdose. Like many of those who die, he had been battling for a while to give up the drug.
For me the first 10 years were burning pain and intolerable grief — more latterly the pain has been less intense but there is now overwhelming regret for the lost years and what might have been.
Of course, Damien is not the only one to have died from drugs, and I am not the only parent or family member to feel that pain — every day of the year will bring similar bittersweet memories to thousands of families. Then of course there are countless families who continue to struggle with the anxiety, pain and stress of continued drug use.
It is a fact that any family from any part of Australia can be affected by drug use. For some it can become no less of a chronic relapsing health condition as diabetes, asthma or many other illnesses including all the mental health conditions, affect some people.
The difference is of course, that when people suffer from these other conditions the person and their families receive care, concern, support and reasonably accessible treatment. In contrast, the families of drug users suffer in silence from the shame and stigma that it generates in the community. Their sense of isolation and helplessness grows each day.
I can tell you from bitter experience that it is a very lonely place to be. We are misrepresented, stereotyped and discriminated against. The reality is that these negative attitudes to drugs in the community have become a major barrier to successful outcomes.
It’s hard to think of another group that has to deal with these levels of intolerance. The gay community, mental health sufferers and their families and those having to deal with disabilities have long begun their journey to overcome the stigma and see changed attitudes. Now it is time for this to happen with drug use and the inaugural National Family Drug Support Day is an opportunity to speak out and ask for understanding, support and changes in attitude.
All of us use drugs and always have done. From our caffeine hits through tea, coffee, soft drinks and chocolate, to those that drink alcohol and smoke, or those that use prescription drugs and over the counter medications to the plethora of illicit substances available today. The truth is most people do not develop problems but it is illogical to criminalise and marginalise those who do.
This new National Day will highlight that drug users and their families are normal people from all walks of life. We do not need to fear them and there is certainly no need for people to die from drugs. Families are the greatest experts on their family member and the greatest tool in aiding them to live fulfilling lives. In the pressure cooker environment of coping with drug use in an atmosphere of prejudice, discrimination and alienation, these potential skills can be lost.
The greatest wish of all the family members I speak with is that the drug use stop. They fear the police intervention and criminal sanctions that can happen on top of everything else. Above all, they fear death. Hundreds of families who have lost people to an overdose death have spoken to me. While they struggled to cope with drug use and wanted them to stop without exception they have said they would rather put up with the effects of drug use than never see them again.
So on this inaugural National Family Drug Support Day, we the families are asking all governments to focus on policies that reduce drug fatalities. Families want policies and programs that keep people alive. This includes harm reduction strategies such as safe injecting facilities, pill testing and heroin prescription programs. Families want informed and innovative policies and programs that reduce the likelihood of harm. This means substantially increasing the proportion of Australia’s $1.7 billion drug budget for harm reduction (2.2 per cent) and treatment services (22 per cent) from the current allocations.
Governments must also recognise that a reliance on criminal sanctions to address drug use only serves to create more problems. Drug use is a health issue and families want services that assist rather than punish and criminalise people in a way that creates lifelong penalties.
Drug users and their families should always be treated with respect care and compassion with far greater inclusion of family members in the decision making process for families experiencing problematic drug use. For too long families have been left in the cold as they are often seen as part of the problem. Families must be included as equal partners and consulted on all aspects in the development and implementation of drug policies and programs.
Finally, family support must be recognised and resourced as a key element in achieving positive outcomes with people experiencing problematic drug and alcohol use, with a much greater emphasis needed to support Indigenous and culturally and linguistically diverse families. Quite simply, families want services that are there to help them as well as the affected individual.
If the general community can be better informed and aware as a result of this National day then maybe this anniversary of my son’s death will not be the source of pain it has been in the past.
Today is the Inaugural Family Drug Support Day. There are a number of events taking place in Parliament Houses in Canberra 10am, Sydney 6pm, Melbourne 6pm, Brisbane 6pm, Adelaide 4pm and Perth 6pm.
Tony Trimingham is the founder of Family Drug Support.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/re...m/news-story/a7a2ef592fbfe6cb37ac8e04e8889377
It is now 19 years ago that my 23-year-old son Damien died from a heroin overdose. Like many of those who die, he had been battling for a while to give up the drug.
For me the first 10 years were burning pain and intolerable grief — more latterly the pain has been less intense but there is now overwhelming regret for the lost years and what might have been.
Of course, Damien is not the only one to have died from drugs, and I am not the only parent or family member to feel that pain — every day of the year will bring similar bittersweet memories to thousands of families. Then of course there are countless families who continue to struggle with the anxiety, pain and stress of continued drug use.
It is a fact that any family from any part of Australia can be affected by drug use. For some it can become no less of a chronic relapsing health condition as diabetes, asthma or many other illnesses including all the mental health conditions, affect some people.
The difference is of course, that when people suffer from these other conditions the person and their families receive care, concern, support and reasonably accessible treatment. In contrast, the families of drug users suffer in silence from the shame and stigma that it generates in the community. Their sense of isolation and helplessness grows each day.
I can tell you from bitter experience that it is a very lonely place to be. We are misrepresented, stereotyped and discriminated against. The reality is that these negative attitudes to drugs in the community have become a major barrier to successful outcomes.
It’s hard to think of another group that has to deal with these levels of intolerance. The gay community, mental health sufferers and their families and those having to deal with disabilities have long begun their journey to overcome the stigma and see changed attitudes. Now it is time for this to happen with drug use and the inaugural National Family Drug Support Day is an opportunity to speak out and ask for understanding, support and changes in attitude.
All of us use drugs and always have done. From our caffeine hits through tea, coffee, soft drinks and chocolate, to those that drink alcohol and smoke, or those that use prescription drugs and over the counter medications to the plethora of illicit substances available today. The truth is most people do not develop problems but it is illogical to criminalise and marginalise those who do.
This new National Day will highlight that drug users and their families are normal people from all walks of life. We do not need to fear them and there is certainly no need for people to die from drugs. Families are the greatest experts on their family member and the greatest tool in aiding them to live fulfilling lives. In the pressure cooker environment of coping with drug use in an atmosphere of prejudice, discrimination and alienation, these potential skills can be lost.
The greatest wish of all the family members I speak with is that the drug use stop. They fear the police intervention and criminal sanctions that can happen on top of everything else. Above all, they fear death. Hundreds of families who have lost people to an overdose death have spoken to me. While they struggled to cope with drug use and wanted them to stop without exception they have said they would rather put up with the effects of drug use than never see them again.
So on this inaugural National Family Drug Support Day, we the families are asking all governments to focus on policies that reduce drug fatalities. Families want policies and programs that keep people alive. This includes harm reduction strategies such as safe injecting facilities, pill testing and heroin prescription programs. Families want informed and innovative policies and programs that reduce the likelihood of harm. This means substantially increasing the proportion of Australia’s $1.7 billion drug budget for harm reduction (2.2 per cent) and treatment services (22 per cent) from the current allocations.
Governments must also recognise that a reliance on criminal sanctions to address drug use only serves to create more problems. Drug use is a health issue and families want services that assist rather than punish and criminalise people in a way that creates lifelong penalties.
Drug users and their families should always be treated with respect care and compassion with far greater inclusion of family members in the decision making process for families experiencing problematic drug use. For too long families have been left in the cold as they are often seen as part of the problem. Families must be included as equal partners and consulted on all aspects in the development and implementation of drug policies and programs.
Finally, family support must be recognised and resourced as a key element in achieving positive outcomes with people experiencing problematic drug and alcohol use, with a much greater emphasis needed to support Indigenous and culturally and linguistically diverse families. Quite simply, families want services that are there to help them as well as the affected individual.
If the general community can be better informed and aware as a result of this National day then maybe this anniversary of my son’s death will not be the source of pain it has been in the past.
Today is the Inaugural Family Drug Support Day. There are a number of events taking place in Parliament Houses in Canberra 10am, Sydney 6pm, Melbourne 6pm, Brisbane 6pm, Adelaide 4pm and Perth 6pm.
Tony Trimingham is the founder of Family Drug Support.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/re...m/news-story/a7a2ef592fbfe6cb37ac8e04e8889377
