DRUGS CONCERN YOUNG
Almost one in four young people aged between 11 and 24 believe that drug use is their major concern.
The annual survey of 45,000 young Australians has shown that in the latest survey drug use has concerned them the most.
Young Australians are concerned about friends and families taking drugs, whether they can resist the pressure to use drugs and the damage that drugs can do.
Young children aged 11 to 14 years are most concerned about drug use.
Personal safety issues like drug use were of most concern.
(Source: Mission Australia 2008 National Survey of Young Australians)
The Drug Advisory Council of Australia comments-
Drug use in Australia is commencing at an earlier and earlier age so children aged 11 to 14 are now exposed to illicit drugs.
These drug concerns by young children should alert us to the need for programs to help these children to avoid illicit drugs at all costs.
Overseas experience shows that these concerns of Australian children are real and that resistance to drug pressure at a young age will result in them not using illicit drugs later in life.
These survey results confirm that even at a young age children know of the effects of illicit drugs based on bad experiences by their friends.
Early intervention drug resistance programs have the advantage of avoiding the trauma and costs of dealing with the early drug use.
Early intervention drug resistance programs are money well invested and would be welcomed by young people because of their stated fears.
Early intervention drug resistance programs should explain the extreme damage caused by illicit drugs based on the latest medical research.
More detoxification & rehabilitation that gets illicit drug users drug free.
Court ordered and supervised detoxification & rehabilitation.
Less illicit drug users, drug pushers and drug related crimes. 44/2008