THE SOLUTION TO INFANT DRUG USE

A five-year-old girl and her sisters aged nine and thirteen regularly smoke cannabis and drink alcohol.

Government authorities are investigating the children from the Darwin suburb of Palmerston in the Northern Territory.

The five year old knew how to light the cannabis bong and correctly smoke it without adult supervision.

The girl has been using cannabis for some time and she acts like an addict throwing a tantrum when she cannot get a hit.

The aggressive behaviour is typical of older drug users according to experienced drug counsellors.

(Source: Melbourne Herald Sun 1/4/04)

DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENT

Adults are providing these children illicit drugs.

The harm minimization policies of drug maintenance for illicit drug users are leading to children and teenagers having access to drugs.

The only way to stop illicit drug use by children and teenagers in Australia is to severely diminish the illicit drug trade and to eliminate drug demand.

The International Narcotics Control Board of the United Nations recommends that illicit drug users should be sent for detoxification followed by rehabilitation to a drug free state instead of incarceration. THIS IS NOT HAPPENING IN AUSTRALIA.

If effective detoxification and rehabilitation programs were available for families, children and teenagers would be drug free.

More detoxification and rehabilitation programs are needed and courts given powers to direct illicit drug users into a drug free life.

The DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA Inc. provides this complimentary e-mail and we can be e-mailed at drugadvice@daca.org.au

Our web site at www.daca.org.au has more information about illicit drugs.

12/2004