Figures show fewer people starting ice use

[apothecary]

http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/10/13/2058622.htm

The latest trends on drug use in Australia show that people are turning away from taking up the use of crystal amphetamine, more commonly known as ice.

It is the first time the use of ice has dropped this decade and the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) says it is probably because of the drug gaining a bad reputation.

The use of ice dropped in all capital cities and although the number of users and addicts did not fall significantly, fewer people are taking up the drug.

But despite those encouraging statistics, the NDARC's figures show that heroin use is on the rise again.

The centre's Louisa Degenhardt says that points to an increase in availability of the drug, possibly due to upgrade in production from places like Afghanistan.

"We were very aware when heroin supply reduced, this was a supply reduction and people were not using this drug even though it was their preferred drug," she said.

"We knew that if supply increased so would use of those users and that seems to be what's happened here."

[Torsten]

oh dear, now the government will claim their stupid meth ads actually worked

to be honest, after having seen the effects of an ice phase and a heroin phase I think I prefer the heroin phase. At least it's nasty social side effects can easily be reduced via injecting rooms, methadone treatment , or -god forbid politicians should ever see sense- heroin from the pharmacy. Ice is just so destructive all round. It only takes one guy freaking out on ice to ruin it for a whole bunch of people, while one guy smacked out just fades away in the corner.

[XipeTotec]

while one guy smacked out just fades away in the corner.

its not so much a case of what he does while smacked... but what he may do in order to get smacked.

Edited October 13, 2007 by XipeTotec

[occidentalis]

its not so much a case of what he does while smacked... but what he may do in order to get smacked.

Yes, but that is only a problem if the drug is illegal and/or difficult to obtain.

[Torsten]

its not so much a case of what he does while smacked... but what he may do in order to get smacked.

As creach said, it's only the legal availability that stands in the way of heroin use being a largely victimless crime.

In the case of meth you have both sides - the things people do to get the stuff AND the things people do while on the drug or coming off it. Also, smackies usually just do whatever helps them get their hit. Methfreaks will also do whatever the fuck they feel like at any given point in time in their moral-less state.

[The Dude]

Smack OD's lead to quiet death. Meth OD's lead to uncontrollable monster that cannot be restrained ends up in a hospital room jacking off for hours - heard a story like that on hack (triple j 5:30)

I'd say it's got nothing to do with the ads but Meth addiction as a scourge of humanity has become more and more evident, in news paper reports and i suppose in some places it's evident in the streets. Nothing to do with the ads but people are starting to see how nasty it is.

The funny shit is I've got a friend that's tried mushrooms a few times but is concerned because he's heard "they're really bad for you" and this person takes meth AT LEAST every weekend and i think that was him covering for often he really takes it.

I guess it just shows how the (probably)harmless stuff is unnadictive and the shit that will kill you makes sure you keep wanting it.