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Prison Drug Rehabilitation Needed

The Western Australian police commissioner has called for drug rehabilitation in prisons and in the justice system.

Amphetamine addicts are more likely to commit robberies, burglaries or have weapons and were responsible for one in eight violent crimes at higher levels than users of cocaine and cannabis.

Seizing drugs and prison sentences need to have a mechanism for dealing with the addiction.

The commissioner said that the lack of drug rehabilitation within jails was a risk.

The number of amphetamine laboratories in Western Australia is increasing but Queensland has the highest laboratory detections in Australia.

(Source: Reported at the University of Western Australia seminar by the Western Australian newspaper 7 June 2013)

DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS-

This call for prison drug rehabilitation is supported by our council.

When senior police call for drug rehabilitation programs then this is a clear indication for the need to get addicts clean.

World’s best practice shows that drug rehabilitation is effective in rehabilitating convicted criminals to get free of their addiction.

Court ordered and supervised illicit drug rehabilitation for prisoners, drugged drivers and illicit drug users is money well spent in avoiding future violence, traffic accidents, crime and increasing health costs.

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Organised Crime And Drugs

The Australian Crime Commission report “Organised Crime in Australia” 2011 clearly links organized crime and illicit drugs.

In its latest report the Crime Commission clearly links the same organized criminals with both trafficking performance enhancing drugs in sport and also illicit drugs.

The Commission believes that the use of illicit drugs by professional athletes is likely to be understated.

The Commission believes that illicit drug use leaves athletes particularly vulnerable to exploitation for other crimes including match fixing, fraud and insider information for betting.

The Commission has evidence that some athletes are supplying others with illicit drugs.

(Source: Organised Crime and Drugs in Sport, Australian Crime Commission, released February 2013)

DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS-

These Australian Crime Commission reports on the link between organized crime and drugs are not new.

The Crime Commission has stated that organized crime poses a threat to Australia’s national security.

Illicit drugs have an estimated social cost of over $8000 million every year in Australia according to the Commission.

Plus the health risks to illicit drug users even professional athletes is beyond these costs.

That is why Australia must not treat illicit drug use as a health issue but support programs that eliminate use and get users free of drugs quickly.

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Illicit Drug Speed Up Psychosis

An Australian study published in the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry has shown that the more illicit drugs a person uses can speed up the onset of psychosis.

Cannabis use increases the risk of developing psychotic illnesses earlier but using other illicit drugs accelerates the process.

Early use of illicit drugs by young people can affect the brain’s neurochemical system because the brain is still developing until the early 20’s according to the experts.

The key message is- it’s you brain, you need it, so don’t damage it.

(Source: Melbourne Age newspaper 30 December 2012)

DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS-

This latest study confirms once again that illicit drugs are illegal because they are dangerous.

Cannabis in particular is known to cause mental illnesses like psychosis and schizophrenia, Australian young people are starting to use earlier therefore risking this brain damage.

Multi drug use is very common so that the risks are multiplied.

The message of the known brain damage of illicit drug use is now more urgent so we must dissuade young people now.

Modern forms of cannabis contain more toxins so the brain damage is likely to increase in the future.

Identified illicit drug users need rehabilitation to get them free of drugs before they are addicted and progress to multi drug use.

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Ice Is In Demand

The illicit drug ICE (methamphetamine) continues to be a problem for Australia.

Of alleged criminals held in custody in Australia 21 per cent tested positive for ICE.

Foreign traffickers are seeking to take advantage of the potential for profits from the market in ICE.

Border authorities in Australia are intercepting large quantities of precursor chemicals used to manufacture ICE in Australia.

Two record seizures of ICE were made in Sydney in 2012 which highlighted the substantial domestic demand for this illicit drug.

(Source: International Narcotics Control Board report released 5 March 2013)

DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS-

ICE is a highly dangerous illicit drug which is highly addictive and can cause injury to the human brain.

ICE users are aggressive or are psychotic making them likely to be at emergency wards of hospitals or in police custody.

Laboratories that manufacture ICE are operated by criminal syndicates seeking the huge profits from the high demand.

An estimated 1.5 million Australians have tried ICE at some time in the past.

Because of the highly addictive nature of ICE, all identified users should be diverted into mandatory rehabilitation to get them free of their addiction and to protect the wider community.