NEWS: Abc.net - 5/3/08 'Cannabis remains most abused illicit drug'

Cannabis remains most abused illicit drug: report
By Jennifer Browning

An international narcotics report shows cannabis continues to be the most abused illicit drug in Australia.

The worldwide review found 11 per cent of Australian's over the age of 14 years use cannabis.

The report from the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) also indicates the use of amphetamine type stimulants is increasing at a rapid rate.

It pinpoints Queensland as the main place where amphetamine type stimulants are produced and says the drugs made there supply the entire country.

INCB Australian member Brian Watters says the statistics are concerning.

"They're quite serious drugs of addiction so people have the wrong perception of how dangerous they are," he said.

But Mr Watters says Government agencies have the power to change this.

"Countries like Australia have all the resources necessary to turn these things around, provided they have the will", he said.

The board also expressed concern with a lack of data from smaller counties in the region.

It found island states in the region are increasingly being used for smuggling amphetamines and other illicit drugs.

Mr Watters says intercepting the drugs is a major problem for the Oceania region.

"The big drug traffickers are very happy to use these smaller countries and also we suspect that there's a certain amount of bribery involved in some places to allow these drugs to flow through them, which makes it much more difficult for people like Australia and New Zealand," he said.

Mr Watters says there has also been an increase in the abuse of pharmaceutical drugs.

He says online pharmacies are making the drugs easily accessible and in countries overseas this industry is having devastating effects.

"People are being able to buy those over the internet and are passing the usual controls," he said.

"In the United States now, there are more people addicted and abusing legal drugs such as all the pharmaceuticals than there are the illegal drugs."

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abc.net.au

INCB Australian member Brian Watters says the statistics are concerning.

"They're quite serious drugs of addiction so people have the wrong perception of how dangerous they are," he said.

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Not to downplay the potential risks of cannabis, but I daresay its Brian Watters who has the wrong perception of how dangerous it is.

"Countries like Australia have all the resources necessary to turn these things around, provided they have the will", he said.

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Oh, so thats whats the governments been lacking ... the will. Because they've tried everything else - persecuting users, spending millions on scare tactics, increasing already unjust penalties for those caught with drugs, to name a few. But so long as they have the will, this whole drug situation will be turned around 8)

Bravo, Brian Watters. Bravo

from my own personal view,

i think weed is probably one of the worst drugs out there, especially with its effects on peoples lives.

seeing good friends turn into filthy bong rats, losing their jobs, hangin around with station filth, tryin betweena group of them to scrape together enough cash to get half a gram of bud.

and the whole perception that because it's "natural" it's somewhat better, safer etc...
it's fucked.

i've had someone who smokes 1-3 grams a day of that shit turn around and call me a junkie
because i use lsd, pills, ice, speed

usually one of the 4 above listed drugs, once per week. sometimes i go on random benders that last for a few days.

but theres this whole misconception about other drugs, and the fact that so many people grow it. and it's cheap and accessible to pretty much anyone.

i grew up in melbournes eastern suburbs, it literally was easier for me to get a gram of whizz and an ounce of bud than it was to get milk and bread

(local dealer lived 2 mins walk, milk bar was 5 mins walk) lol


but when alcohols so hard to get for young kids, dealers dont need you to be 18+
and most dope dealers dont give a fuck about selling to kids.

/end rant.

however, brian watters has ABSOLUTELY no idea what is going on in this country, much the same with many of his counterparts.
to say that most stimulants are made in queensland...
well thats just plain wrong.

i'm glad these fools are so badly misinformed, last thing we need is another massive bust, destroying the quality of our supplies
(kinda like that plane that got caught with all the amphet and pills in western australia today)

maybe if the government invested their funds into rehabilitation programs for hardcore addicts, and provided decent accessibility to such places for people.
rather than wasting it on a war on drugs that will NEVER be "won"

maybe then australia would be taking a step in the right direction, there are a lot of people out there that do need help, and thats falling on deaf ears because the government doesn't care about it's people
it just wants someone to persecute, just to make the narrow minded citizens who believe what they read in the herald sun, and hear on today tonight, 60 mins etc.... to make them support these hacks that have managed to slither their way to the top in politics.

"In the United States now, there are more people addicted and abusing legal drugs such as all the pharmaceuticals than there are the illegal drugs."

but hey, tobacco and alcohol are quite legal, and it's almost something that we're proud of as a nation...
that we're pissed cunts just like the irish...

oh it's australia day. better buy a few slabs and get so shitfaced we vomit everywhere and wake up with a nasty hangover.

if they could put a tax on illicit drugs, they would. and all of a sudden, the war on drugs would be less of a priority.

i guess the /end rant thing was a bit premature.
ok ill leave it there.

Well i live in Queensland and have never been offered any stimulants.

I guess the reason why 11% of adults use cannabis is because its good.

Problem is its too good. That makes it bad and thats why its illegal

JS2K has some valid points about stoners, but in reality the same thing could be said about anyone who allows themselves to be utterly consumed by their DOC.

Hyperpolly drug use on the other hand......