NEWS: Sunday Mail - 5/08/07 'Drug epidemic makes us sick'

[lil angel15]

Drug epidemic makes us sick
Terry Sweetman
August 05, 2007 12:00am

DRUGS, illegal drugs. Don't use them, never have. Yet just about every day, there is some kind of intrusion on the margins of my life by some cretin who sinks a needle into his or her arm, snorts some toxic vapour or scrambles his or her brains with glue or paint fumes.

Or some marijuana-smoking clown topples over the edge into psychosis or a dangerous schizophrenic episode.

Home invasion is a neighbourhood sport in some suburbs, driving a wedge of fear between the elderly and teenagers. However, most turn out to be drug-related raids or get-square assaults over grubby money.

We have become so inured to drugs and violence, drugs and robbery and drugs and neglect that we have started to confuse victims and perpetrators.

We are routinely invited to show mercy on addicts for their transgressions. But I am fast running out of patience with the concept of pity for those who have no one to blame but themselves for their misery.

Only last week, a court was asked to show mercy to one William John Minter, a bloke who did two separate 10-year terms for armed robbery and was recently found with a stash of heroin and cocaine.

I could only roll my eyes as I read that a shrink had found the poor soul was "irrevocably institutionalised".

He was given five years in the slammer to be suspended after four months.

So an institutionalised man with a history of armed robbery and a liking for extremely heavy drugs will be out for Christmas. Pointless.

It's become so bad that judges can pick amphetamine freaks just by looking at their charge sheets, according to Judge Julie Dick, who gave a young toe-rag by the name of Django Dziduch a three-year stretch for a string of offences including armed robbery, sneak thieving, and assault. Yet he will be eligible for parole in October. Pointless.

Not only did speed encourage people to steal to fund buying, she said, but it gave them a feeling of invulnerability that made them bold.

Maybe, but it doesn't make them very ambitious. Last week two heroes wielding sticks held up a store. Drugs.

And then there was the woman who injected her teenage daughter with speed to keep her alert for a shift at a fast-food restaurant.

This 34-year-old so-called mother was given a year but will be out after two months. Pointless.

There's no profit in lambasting judges, who are hamstrung by laws, precedents, practicalities and the pointlessness of most punishments.

And there is no point in pretending that junkies have any control over their lives or that they necessarily deserve mercy. Stupidity must come with a price.

The war against drugs around the world has done for addiction what the invasion of Iraq has done for democracy.

This war catches a lot of small fry, occasionally nabs a kingpin, pushes up the street price of the drug of the moment and never keeps up with the inventiveness of the lab-rats and their suicide-of-choice chemicals.

If as many people died, were neglected, enfeebled, terrorised or orphaned by disease as they are by drugs, the use of drugs, the pursuit of drugs and the abuse of drugs, we would declare a national emergency.

If it were a plague, we would lock up the carriers of contagion, forcibly treat them, and keep them contained until they no longer posed a risk.

In the hysteria over terrorism, we have accepted an erosion of our liberties and handed over matters of life and death to people we don't know, don't much trust and don't much like. Yet we are not prepared to take measures even half as tough against a scourge that costs more lives and misery than mad Osama bin Laden could dream about.

If we don't beat the drug plague that is destroying our society, Osama and his pals can sit back and watch.

Sunday Mail

 

[Nwalmaer]

Wow praganda to the max


While I dont disagree with the writers view on the "cretins" that reguly engage in acts of violence and robbery etc They need to be aware

Not everyone who does drugs is as stupid as these people
Some of us take great care in ensuring our drugs use doesnt negativly impact our life (well no more than an average night at the pub)

Your taking the worse examples of our culture and displaying them as the norm

Its like pointing at the KKK or al quida and saying hey This is what Religon does to you Look at the violence

 

[hoptis]

Follow the link and leave your comments... I'm sure the writer would appreciate it.

 

[Nwalmaer]

I did

I left comments
I emailed the author
and I wrote a letter to the editor

While I don't disagree with the writers view on the "cretins" that regularly engage in acts of violence and robbery etc They need to be aware

Not everyone who does drugs is as stupid as these people Some of us take great care in ensuring our drugs use doesn't negatively impact our life (well no more than an average night at the pub) I can attest That the only laws I brake is my occasional drug use I have never mugged an old lady broken into a house or robbed the 711 Yet you would look at me If I were scum What about your Doctor or your lawyer who smoke pot to relax in the evenings. What about that college student Who enjoys the perspective of LSD and went on to found a massively successful business . That would be Steve Jobs, co-creator of the Apple computer, the NeXt computer, and former head of Apple Computers, Inc.

Your taking the worse examples of our culture and displaying them as the norm Its no accident this that the drug world is filled with crime You made it illeagal even the most well behavaved amongst us no matter what we contribute to society we are already criminals.

Prohibition of alcohol lead to a massive increase of violence and murder in the industry Legalization put it back under the governments control as well as producing huge amounts of tax for the government

Its like pointing at the KKK or Al quida and saying hey This is what Religion does to you Look at the violence

I added a bit more to the one I emailed him personally but I dont have a copy

Ill be intrested to see what he says


Ps If you want his email address pm me Im not going to post it up in the open

 

[TheWeedMan]

yes there are stupid ppl that use drugs

there are also stupid ppl that dont use drugs... one of em being the author of this article

 

[Splatt]

Or so he wants his employer to think.

Is this some guy trying to get his foot in the door at Sunday Mail with a tabloid-style kill all junkies jibber-jabber fest or has he been around for a while, anyone know?

 

[is_today_monday]

I read this today too, and was absolutely appalled by the ignorance of him. Splatt, I think he's been around for a while, seem to remember reading several articles of his. I'm definitely planning on sending him an email.

 

[Chronik Fatigue]

Has anyone been reading the comments at The Mail's website? There is an appalling post by somebody masquerading as Paul Dillon from NDARC

 

[Chronik Fatigue]

I have been asked to reply to this story and give my views on drug abuse and the lives and futures it can take with it.

I am Head Information Officer at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre in Sydney (soon to be Deputy Health Minister if we all keep our votes for Liberal) and I have done extensive research on this topic and believe that some drugs CAN be used recreationally with little to no troubles, but only for a short time and everyone drug-using lifespan must end at one point. Be it gaol for drug related crimes such as ongoing possessions, drug and drunk driving and causing an accident, dealing or trafficking drugs for money to support the habit, or death from an overdose or extreme malnutrition or simply quitting drugs. There is no future at all in taking drugs. Especially Ecstasy which is often laced with horse tranquilisers, PMA (a deadly hallucinogenic amphetamine), cocaine, heroin, ice, crushed glass (to make the pill absorb faster by cutting the lining of the stomach), hydrochloric acid, cement mixer, and other life-threatening products. Pure Ecstasy can also and does kill on a weekly basis across Australia, especially the liquid form called Fantasy or Liquid Ecstasy which is commonly used to clean concrete and melt metals.

Cannabis has recently shown to cause psychosis from as little as one joint, and ecstasy is mostly the killer drug PMA and crushed glass with little to no MDMA (pure ecstasy) in the tablet.

Heroin is mostly cheese (over the counter sickness tablets crushed to a powder mixed with Panadeine Stong Pain and only the hard core addicts are still injecting it, moving onto the deadly designer drug Ice which is like speed, but much more dangerous.

All these drugs, even marijuana causes people to steal to support their habit, and 98% of house break ins ARE drug related as this article says.

I think it is time to finally shut down the injecting room, needle exchanges and any harm reduction programs as they have clearly failed us since the mid 80's. Bring on Zero Tolerance for Junkies.
Posted by: Paul Dilon of Sydney

Hmmm... Cheese?

A bluelighter playing funny buggers perhaps?

 

[hoptis]

Terry Sweetman
Columnist

Terry Sweetman has been in the newspaper game for more than 40 years and still reckons it's the most fun you can have while remaining vertical.

He started having fun in Canberra, worked in Sydney after two enforced years in the army, edited the daily paper in Mount Isa, and then came to Brisbane where he edited the Sunday Sun and the Daily Sun.

When they closed, he moved to Queensland Newspapers where he has worked on both the Courier-Mail and the Sunday Mail, reinventing himself as a columnist and travel editor.

He still can't believe he gets paid to express his opinions and to write about travel – nor can some of his critics.

http://www.news.com.au/sundaymail/author/0,23829,5001321-5007190,00.html

 

[swilow]

Good comments Nwaelmar

 

[Chronik Fatigue]

It's amazing the work you can get if you hold the right opinions 8)

 

[ilikeacid]

This war catches a lot of small fry, occasionally nabs a kingpin, pushes up the street price of the drug of the moment and never keeps up with the inventiveness of the lab-rats and their suicide-of-choice chemicals.

If as many people died, were neglected, enfeebled, terrorised or orphaned by disease as they are by drugs, the use of drugs, the pursuit of drugs and the abuse of drugs, we would declare a national emergency.

Its funny, as I read up to that point in the article all I could think "yeah hes right", but he's so blinded to some obvious real solutions that its scary. Like how about if drugs are harming so many people, causing so much violence, and robberies ect lets decriminalise.

It's the age-old arguement but I think it would work much better than locking up large sections of our society. The harm that criminalising drugs brings is larger than the harm drugs themselves inflict on society IMHO.

What a tool that columist is! "Maybe, but it doesn't make them very ambitious. Last week two heroes wielding sticks held up a store. Drugs." Forceful stuff there 8)

 

[Nwalmaer]

Hello Mr Dillon
This is just a response to your comments posted in response to a news story http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,,22187739-5007190,00.html
----
I have been asked to reply to this story and give my views on drug abuse and the lives and futures it can take with it.
I am Head Information Officer at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre in Sydney (soon to be Deputy Health Minister if we all keep our votes for Liberal) and I have done extensive research on this topic and believe that some drugs CAN be used recreationally with little to no troubles, but only for a short time and everyone drug-using lifespan must end at one point. Be it gaol for drug related crimes such as ongoing possessions, drug and drunk driving and causing an accident, dealing or trafficking drugs for money to support the habit, or death from an overdose or extreme malnutrition or simply quitting drugs. There is no future at all in taking drugs. Especially Ecstasy which is often laced with horse tranquilisers, PMA (a deadly hallucinogenic amphetamine), cocaine, heroin, ice, crushed glass (to make the pill absorb faster by cutting the lining of the stomach), hydrochloric acid, cement mixer, and other life-threatening products. Pure Ecstasy can also and does kill on a weekly basis across Australia, especially the liquid form called Fantasy or Liquid Ecstasy which is commonly used to clean concrete and melt metals.
Cannabis has recently shown to cause psychosis from as little as one joint, and ecstasy is mostly the killer drug PMA and crushed glass with little to no MDMA (pure ecstasy) in the tablet.
Heroin is mostly cheese (over the counter sickness tablets crushed to a powder mixed with Panadeine Stong Pain and only the hard core addicts are still injecting it, moving onto the deadly designer drug Ice which is like speed, but much more dangerous.
All these drugs, even marijuana causes people to steal to support their habit, and 98% of house break ins ARE drug related as this article says.
I think it is time to finally shut down the injecting room, needle exchanges and any harm reduction programs as they have clearly failed us since the mid 80's. Bring on Zero Tolerance for Junkies.
Posted by: Paul Dilon of Sydney 4:10pm August 05, 2007
----

This is a slightly edited reply than I left on the news site.

Whilst its obvious you are well read on the subject I must ask what first hand knowledge do you or those you work with have with "average" drug user .
How would you define your average drug user
To me its every 3rd person you meet they are exactly that just average people
The truth is most peoples drug usage is completly hidden from the public.
I know a great deal many hard working honest people who smoke cannabis or use drugs like ecstasy LSD or even Ice in a night out and without abuse.
I have met a few people who have pushed the boundaries of abuse with most of these drugs and come to the realizations within themselves that there use is getting to frequent and taken action to help deal with it.
But in all my years taking some of these substances I have met very few "junkies" certainly they exist but they are the minority within our community They may be the ones who lack the self control but isn't it our responsibility to help those who cannot help them selves.


Yes you are correct in stating that many drugs cut with only god knows what.
So why doesn't the government provide a safer alternative. Based along the lines similar to Alcohol and tobacco laws .
Be leave it or not these laws have proven more effective in preventing minors getting hold of these substances I remember distinctly not being able to get anyone to buy me alcohol but it only took 20 minutes of asking around school till I had some pot instead. In fact if I remember correctly that had a great deal to do with me taking up cannabis and giving up drinking In fact only recently now in my 20s have I started having the occasional drink.
Not only that but most instances Ive seen of teenagers drinking It was usually supplied by a family member (though what responsible adult encourages teenage binge drinking is beyond me its seems ingrained in the Australian culture)

Drugs certainly never "caused" me to brake into a house in fact aside from when I once stole a candy bar as a young child Ive never stolen anything.
No you would be better saying the type of person who robs your house is likely to spend it on drugs.
People make there own choices in life you cannot blame a substance.
I would like to see severe punishments if you commit a crime while you are under a drugs influence but you should be free to ingest any substance you like.

Is it not a persons right to do with there own body as they please.

There is no victim when you take a drug responsibly.
What about the victims of the crime bosses and ruthless dealers Who kill to control there trade and fill drugs with harmful substitutes.
Well throw them in jail they are the ones doing harm for there own profits an industry unto itself with no regulation.
The government should step in and give this very profitable business over to private industry under the governments watchful eye.
The government gets to collect taxes regulate quality ensure the safest possible product is available.
We get to stop dealing with criminals and a safer product.

Drugs are more available than ever though many people cant see whats right before there eyes You only see the worst examples because there the only ones without the self control to stop from making fool of themselves.
The so called drug war has been nothing but a failure after decades of trying and billions spent drugs are more available than ever before.

Any other such failure would of been long ago abandoned.

Time to try something new isn't it.


Thank you for reading my views I respect that our views may be different but it would not be better for everyone If we worked towards abolishing the culture of violence that surrounds the drug trade.

Thank you
Paul *****

I just sent the above email to Mr Dillon of NDARC

 

[Chronik Fatigue]

^^ That wasn't the real Paul Dillon you realise? I notice my comment pointing that out as well as the plain factual mistakes made in the post was rejected for publication

Well done though for bringing this to Paul's attention, it is scurrilous to think a newspaper website would publish material purported to be from a prominent public figure without first checking their facts.

Maybe someone should email media watch

 

[Chronik Fatigue]

I just posted this:

Dear editor.

I would like to know why my second post was deemed not fit for publication. I pointed out several factual errors of a very basic nature. I also tried to bring to your attention that you have published statements that are potentially slanderous, it is hard to believe they could really have been made by the Head Information Officer at NDARC- an organisation that actively promote harm-minimisation. In light of this I have a few of question I would appreciate having answered:

1. Why where the corrections to "Paul Dilon's" factual errors not published?
2. Is it the policy of the Sunday Mail to edit out commentary that may undermine an editorial position?
3. After reviewing the comments apparently attributed to a public figure, who apparently cannot spell his own name, did the editor bother to check the validity of the comments? If not, why not?

You can reach me via the email address supplied with your answers. I would appreciate an answer to these issues, if you deem this too unimportant to warrant a response then I will forward details of these exchanges to the real Paul Dillon and also get in contact with the ABC's Media Watch programme.

Yours respectfully,

xxxx xxxx

 

[Chronik Fatigue]

It's too bad our good friend Terry Sweetman ignores inconvenient facts such as this:

Vic prisoners suffer alcohol abuse: research

* Related Story: Warning over booze link to brain damage
* Related Story: Millions of Australians at risk from alcohol consumption

New research has found more than 40 percent of Victorian prisoners have suffered alcohol abuse or dependence.

The findings are part of a new campaign warning about the risks of brain injury from drinking.

Melbourne's Deputy Chief Magistrate Paul Smith says up to 72 per cent of prisoners have an acquired brain impairment.

"We know that alcohol is a significant factor in offending behaviour," he said.

"But we don't know the true extent of the problems... People coming before the courts are not routinely screened for alcohol abuse, or alcohol induced brain impairment," he said.

ABC

8(

 

[Splatt]

That's not Paul Dillon its someone using his name as a joke or using his name to spread misinformation, or it is Courier Mail writing it.

 

[Splatt]

Looks like the page was pulled down. Good.

 

[mixer]

Wow! Good job to everyone who showed this clot what an ass he is!
Great to see they pulled the article down!