TEENAGE DRUG USE HIGH
The Australian Government recently released the booklet, Talking With Your Kids About Drugs, which disclosed that in 2004, 29 per cent of teenagers between 14 and 19 years had used an illicit drug in their lifetime.
The United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime report, Sweden’s Successful Drug Policy - a Review of the Evidence discloses that in 2003, 8 per cent of 15 to 16 year olds had used an illicit drug in their lifetime.
The United Nations report discloses that teenage illicit drug use in Europe was 22 per cent in 2003.
The Drug Advisory Council of Australia Comments
This comparison of drug use by teenagers suggests that Australian teenage illicit drug use is about four times higher than Sweden.
The comparison also discloses that Australian teenage illicit drug use is higher than Europe as a whole.
These high teenage illicit drug use figures are disturbing and highlight that Australian drug policy is not effective in dissuading teenagers from using illicit drugs.
Australia needs to copy the successful Swedish drug strategies that have brought about this low illicit drug usage.
Swedish drug strategies focus on teenagers because if you stop illicit drug use in teenagers they are highly unlikely to use illicit drugs later in life.
Australia must change the culture so that illicit drug use does not become acceptable and normal.
Removing demand for illicit drugs removes the funds going into the hands of drug criminal syndicates.
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.
33/2007