Drug Use Up
The latest Australian national drug survey shows that the proportion of people over 14 years of age that had ever tried an illicit drug has INCREASED in the past 3 years.
One in three Australians had tried cannabis at some time in their life.
One in ten Australians had tried ecstasy at some time in their life.
One in twelve Australians had tried ICE, amphetamines, cocaine and hallucinogens at some time in their life.
Between 2007 and 2010 MORE Australians had tried the illicit drugs -cannabis, ecstasy, ICE, amphetamines, cocaine, hallucinogens, ketamine, GHB and injectable drugs at some time in their life.
In 2007 35.1per cent of Australians over 14 had tried an illicit drug at some time which increased to 37.3 per cent in 2010.
(Source: 2010 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, released July 2011)
DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS-
Clearly, current illicit drug policies are not effective in reducing the population that has tried illicit drugs.
Clearly the message of harm of trying illicit drugs is NOT getting through to Australian young people.
Reducing the number of illicit drug users should be a policy priority.
Its time to switch to illicit drug policies that do work in reducing drug use.
World’s best practice to reduce illicit drug use is to divert all identified drug users into court ordered and supervised detoxification and rehabilitation to get the users free of drug use quickly and permanently.
THE DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA SUPPORTS-
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.
39/2011
