NEWS: AdelaideNow - 26/09/07 'Young treat ecstasy as `fun drug''

[lil angel15]

Young treat ecstasy as `fun drug'
LAURA ANDERSON, CANBERRA, NICK HENDERSON
September 26, 2007 02:15am

YOUNG Australians continue to view ecstasy as a "fun drug" which can help them relax, a report on illicit drugs to be released today shows.

The report shows warnings about the illicit substance are failing to resonate with the younger generation, with 33 per cent of those surveyed describing ecstasy as fun and 19 per cent saying it is a good drug to share with friends.

Those perceptions showed little difference from a similar survey in 2000, raising concerns among researchers about the increase in "positive perceptions" of the drug.

"In many ways, ecstasy has adopted the `positioning' that marijuana used to have a few years ago," the report says.

The result for ecstasy was in contrast to young people's responses to other illicit substances. Those included:

CONCERNS even a small amount of marijuana could be risky and lead to depression;

SPEED was seen as causing mood swings and paranoia, being addictive and increasing anxiety; and

MANY young people were frightened by ice.

The findings will be used by the Federal Government to develop a $21.6 million campaign to educate young people on the strong links between illicit drug use and mental illness.

Minister responsible for illicit drugs Christopher Pyne said the findings on ecstasy were "a concern".

He said, however, this year's report shows a significant increase in the number of young people who understand the harm and addictiveness of such drugs as speed and ice.

The State Government, meanwhile, today will introduce a Bill to clamp down on drug makers.

Anyone caught with equipment that could be used to produce drugs will have to prove it is not being used for illegal activity or face up to two years' jail or a $10,000 fine.

The same would apply to anyone caught with a drug-making recipe.

AdelaideNow

 

[marklar_the_23rd]

Anyone caught with equipment that could be used to produce drugs will have to prove it is not being used for illegal activity or face up to two years' jail or a $10,000 fine.

isnt that a complete reversal of "innocent until proven guilty" ???? isnt that what our courts are based on? that you have to prove guilt, not innocence?

 

[static_mind]

"The same would apply to anyone caught with a drug-making recipe"

Apperently the spread of even infomation is now a crime. What ever happend to freedom of infomation.

 

[Splatt]

Its not in our constitution, either is freedom of speech.
Even America have that over us.

 

[peaked]

The report shows warnings about the illicit substance are failing to resonate with the younger generation, with 33 per cent of those surveyed describing ecstasy as fun and 19 per cent saying it is a good drug to share with friends.

You'd have to be stupid to argue that MDMA isn't fun. After all, thats the whole reason why people take it. And given its effects, ofcourse it will be good with friends. Those that take it alone at home would be few and far between. I really can't see what they are trying to prove with those statistics.