War on drugs

Discussion in 'Politics' started by geoffw, 1st Jun, 2019.

Join Australia's most dynamic and respected property investment community
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
Page 3 of 3
  1. Lindsay_W

    Lindsay_W Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    1st Jul, 2015
    Posts:
    5,065
    Location:
    QLD/Australia Wide
    If you aren't privy to ALL the details then I would say it's hard to comment on their situation correctly. I know a reformed Heroin addict who successfully went through rehab and continues to see psychologists but her rehab was not paid for by the government and she only had 5 psych sessions that were government funded. As Lizzie mentioned, long wait lists for programs obviously means more are needed.

    What would you suggest instead?
    More funding could go to alternative types of treatment like the one I mentioned earlier - more education in schools etc - I understand you're close to someone who's kids have suffered and I respect that but everyone is different. Just because it hasn't worked for them doesn't mean it won't work for others.
    *Edit*
    Drug abuse stems from mental health issues and addiction/substance abuse and mental health go hand in hand.
    Mental Health - 2018
    Mental health care "grossly underfunded": AMA | AJP

    One way to get more funding for this could be to legalise Marijuana and use the tax dollars, only my opinion, not saying it's the only way or be all and end all.
     
    Last edited: 7th Jun, 2019
    Lindsay_W, 7th Jun, 2019
    #41
    Jamie Moore and Lizzie like this.
  2. MTR

    MTR Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    19th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    27,859
    Location:
    My World

    The stats are pretty clear, 80% revert back to drugs. Thats sadly the big picture

    More education at schools? Perhaps, whatever is going to help. It comes down to best way to utilise funds to get best outcome, do the experts even know??

    Perhaps We should look at what other countries are doing, is anyone doing it better than Australia?? I dont know, a suggestion

    Department of Health - Preventive Health – support for alcohol and drug abuse
     
    MTR, 7th Jun, 2019
    #42
  3. MTR

    MTR Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    19th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    27,859
    Location:
    My World
    MTR, 7th Jun, 2019
    #43
  4. geoffw

    geoffw Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    15th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    11,677
    Location:
    Newcastle
    Portugal has already been mentioned in this thread as a country which has been successful. The statistics have been impressive. Here's another link
    Portugal’s radical drugs policy is working. Why hasn’t the world copied it?

    Other countries have decriminalised small quantities of drugs - mostly marijuana, but harder drugs in some other countries. Britain has mandated the administration of heroin to addicts who don't respond to methadone treatment.

    The dollars spent the in the link you've provided are a good start. But they are hugely dwarfed by the numbers you've mentioned previously in the enforcement side.
     
    geoffw, 7th Jun, 2019
    #44
    Lindsay_W and Perp like this.
  5. MTR

    MTR Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    19th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    27,859
    Location:
    My World
    Thanks

    This is interesting, achieved great success, radical approach

    How Iceland Got Teens to Say No to Drugs
     
    Last edited: 7th Jun, 2019
    MTR, 7th Jun, 2019
    #45
    Lindsay_W and Perp like this.
  6. geoffw

    geoffw Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    15th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    11,677
    Location:
    Newcastle
    That's excellent.

    Programs and education have greatly reduced drug use.

    It's great to see where money is being spent effectively to curb addiction before it happens. I'd suspect that it's a far more efficient use of the money currently being spent on drug enforcement. When the demand is curbed, less needs to be spent on interception, internment and treatment.

    While Portugal's approach has been extremely effective, I can see that it would be a very unpalatable approach to many countries, probably including Australia.
     
    geoffw, 7th Jun, 2019
    #46
    gman65 and MTR like this.
  7. Piston_Broke

    Piston_Broke Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    30th Jul, 2015
    Posts:
    4,140
    Location:
    Margaritaville
    Everybody seem to be avoiding the elephant breaking the China: Parenting.
    What contribution does parenting make?
     
    Piston_Broke, 7th Jun, 2019
    #47
  8. geoffw

    geoffw Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    15th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    11,677
    Location:
    Newcastle
    Parenting is probably the most important contribution which can be made to a person's life. However, in the context of the subject at hand, if parenting was succeeding in the society as a whole, we would have a far smaller problem with addiction (of any sort). The influences on a young person from people around, and from society as a whole, can often negate the good which is done even in families where the parenting is good. That may well be a minority of families anyway.

    As the problem has become so bad, society can no longer afford to leave these things solely to parents. A society like Iceland's shows that this is possible.

    The alternative is just to keep spending huge amounts on enforcement without changing the attitude of people, and that appears doomed to keep failing.
     
    geoffw, 7th Jun, 2019
    #48
    Lindsay_W, Piston_Broke and Lizzie like this.
  9. gman65

    gman65 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    23rd Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    1,805
    Location:
    Brisbane
    You can have ivy league parents, earning nine figure salaries, who will instill a high work ethic, send their kids to the best schoosl, etc and have a great family and support network... and yet still their kids may end up on a path to addiction. It's a lot more complicated than simply "good" or "bad" parenting IMO.
     
    gman65, 7th Jun, 2019
    #49
    Lindsay_W, MTR, Marg4000 and 2 others like this.
  10. TSK

    TSK Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    14th Apr, 2018
    Posts:
    625
    Location:
    VIC
    Meh. Just legalise, regulate, divert....you know like alcohol. The reality is people like taking recreational drugs and for the vast
    majority it is a positive experience with little consequence to broader society. I would much prefer to see gst on such products, takes criminal aspect out and better use of tax payers resources.
     
    Last edited: 7th Jun, 2019
    TSK, 7th Jun, 2019
    #50
    Lindsay_W, MTR and Jamie Moore like this.
  11. Marg4000

    Marg4000 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    6,421
    Location:
    Qld
    If the main blame is to be laid at the feet of the parents, how do you account for families where several children go on to lead productive and exemplary lives, while one child turns to drugs?
    Marg
     
    Marg4000, 8th Jun, 2019
    #51
    wylie and Jamie Moore like this.
  12. geoffw

    geoffw Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    15th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    11,677
    Location:
    Newcastle
    I didn't say that parents were the main blame. I stated that the influences on a young person from all around can negate the good which is done in families - as per the second sentence of my post which you quoted.

    As well, personalities can differ, leading different young people to react differently to the same influences.

    I heard a story about two brothers where the father was an alcoholic thief, who spent a lot more time in jail than out. He had two sones, one of which became just like his father, the other became a leading citizen. When they were Asked why they turned out like they did, each responded, "How else could I have turned out with the background I had?".
     
    geoffw, 8th Jun, 2019
    #52
    Lindsay_W likes this.
  13. Piston_Broke

    Piston_Broke Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    30th Jul, 2015
    Posts:
    4,140
    Location:
    Margaritaville
    You seem to equate good parenting with "Ivy League" or high earnings.
    I do not think nothing of the sort.
    Parents are not 100% of the equation but they do play a major role in the upbringing of their children.

    The stats seem to head towards addiction = no return.
    The people your kids hang around are also a major influence.

    While I agree with Geofw on the issue I believe parents are the first point.
    Parents need to take note of who their kids hang around and take preventative measures.
    Higher income may come handy though in removing or moving away from bad peer influences.

    It's a tough and complex issue though...
     
    Piston_Broke, 9th Jun, 2019
    #53
    Lindsay_W likes this.
  14. TSK

    TSK Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    14th Apr, 2018
    Posts:
    625
    Location:
    VIC
    TSK, 10th Jun, 2019
    #54
    inertia and Lindsay_W like this.
  15. TSK

    TSK Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    14th Apr, 2018
    Posts:
    625
    Location:
    VIC
    TSK, 10th Jun, 2019
    #55
  16. Simon Hampel

    Simon Hampel Founder Staff Member

    Joined:
    3rd Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    12,414
    Location:
    Sydney
    I'm closing this thread - see new policy regarding discussions about US politics and Trump - Politics forum guidelines

    While this thread could have been much more general in nature - it is largely focused on US issues.
     
    Simon Hampel, 12th Jun, 2019
    #56
Page 3 of 3
From $20k to $25 Million: The Chris Gray Story
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.