NEWS: News.com.au - 18/11/07 '60 per cent of Aborigines smoke marijuana'

60 per cent of Aborigines smoke marijuana
By Tamara McLean
November 18, 2007 12:08pm

ABOUT 60 per cent of Aborigines smoke marijuana regularly and most of those get stoned every day, a Northern Territory study shows.

New figures on cannabis rates among indigenous people show a drug use rate far higher than the Australian average, with researchers saying it is "firmly entwined" in the society.

Researchers at James Cook University in Cairns and the University of Sydney surveyed 164 people in Arnhem Land in 2006 and found 61 per cent of men and 58 per cent of women used cannabis at least weekly.

In-depth interviews with 60 users found that 92 per cent of the men and 78 per cent of the women smoke it daily, according to the study published in the Medical Journal of Australia.

Almost 90 per cent appeared to be dependent on the drug, compared with just 20 per cent of dope users generally.

They were also likely to use dope in far greater quantities, smoking an average of seven 'cones' in one session, more than double the Australian average.

"Quantities of cannabis used appear to be higher than in the general population, unemployment among users is higher and violence related to diminished supply is common," the authors wrote.

One indigenous community leader interviewed by the team was quoted saying 'if there's a bowl of it on the table it is smoked until gone, morning to night'.

Some said it could have good effects, calming people down and "preventing them from engaging in criminal behaviour".

However PhD student Kylie Lee and her senior colleagues said local elders were increasingly realising the significant social and mental health impact of the drug.

"Resources are urgently needed for prevention programs and targeted interventions for chronic cannabis users and those with (co-existing) psychiatric problems," she wrote.

"If these patterns of use continue the implications for ... the potential mental health burden is disturbing."

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Potent marijuana blamed for remote youth suicides
November 21, 2007

HIGHLY potent marijuana is being blamed for youth suicides and psychotic episodes in a remote central Australian community, which is struggling to cope with increasing levels of drug use over the past 12 months.

The head of the internationally-recognised substance abuse program at Mt Theo outstation, Susie Low, said the level of marijuana use in her community of Yuendumu was rising.

She said the Government's intervention, launched on June 21, had increased uncertainty among at-risk youth in the community and was contributing to increasing substance abuse problems.

This had led to an upswing in psychotic episodes and suicides.

"In two out of the last three (suicides), the young men were under the influence of alcohol and marijuana," she said.

"That's in the last eight months.

"It's more the older teenagers. We've had some psychotic episodes, quite severe ones."

The most recent psychotic episode in the town of about 1000 people ended with the youth being committed to a mental health ward in Alice Springs.

"It was quite a severe case of marijuana-induced psychosis. I think it's the type of marijuana. If they're really giving it a nudge, there's the potential for self-harm," Ms Lowsaid.

Her anecdotal concerns support the findings of two reports on marijuana use in the Territory, the most recent of which said 60 per cent of people in some Arnhem Land communities were cannabis users.

The survey of 240 people, conducted by researchers from Sydney and James Cook universities, discovered the high levels of use, which were described in the report as akin to eating snack food.

"If there is a bowl of ganja on the table, people will just smoke it from morning to night until it's gone," one community leader interviewed for the report said.

A report by the Territory parliament's select committee on substance abuse also found cannabis use had become widespread.

Ms Low said central Australia usually lagged behind the Top End in substance abuse problems, but she could see the use of marijuana growing.

Yuendumu is 290km northwest of Alice Springs and Mt Theo outstation is a further 150km north. There, young people with substance abuse problems are rehabilitated well away from the source of the addictions.

But as a further measure, Mt Theo's Jarupirrjirrdi (strong voices) program in Yuendumu has opened up a mechanical workshop to give young people real training, including offering apprenticeships to the most promising workers.

Ms Low said highly at-risk young people needed a path to a new life after they had overcome addiction.

"After the young people stopped petrol sniffing, they asked what's next," she said.

The first batch of young men began work two weeks ago. Jamie Nelson, 18, said he was happy to work nine hours a day in the workshop instead of "flopping" at home.

The workshop is being run by diesel mechanic Peter Malden, who gave up a lucrative mining job in Western Australia to work in the community.

"Most of these guys will jump at it if you're offering real training," he said.

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Splatt said:

Wesley doesn't smoke.... I don't like this racist bullshit.

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