I am writing in regards to the recent debate sparked off by Australia21’s The Prohibition Of Illicit Drugs Is Killing And Criminalising Our Children And We Are Letting It Happen report about Australia’s war on drugs being ‘a failure’ and the suggestions that drugs should be decriminalised. I have years of experience with young people who have faced the challenges of drug abuse as a means of escaping their day-to-day experiences and the drug and alcohol rehabilitation services within Youth Off The Streets prove that some young people do want to fight their own war against the drugs that have become their lives.
The affects of drugs on a young person can be irreversible, our kids are at a time in their lives when their brains are forming the critical parts it needs for memory, learning, planning and emotional development. Subsequent media about the report speaks about marijuana as a soft drug used in Australia, but my experience with this drug is that it can have terrible effects, which can eventuate to mental illness. Youth who use this drug heavily around the ages of 13 or 14 often develop schizophrenia or paranoia when they reach the age of 17 or 18. It is my understanding that this effect is significant and is detrimental to our young people, our future.
For years Australia has been facing the issues of drugs, including the effects on our youth, without a solution to ending the battle with its use. We should be having the conversation with the community about the ways that we could manage the situation better. Locking our young people in jails is not a successful way of putting a stop to drug traffickers; in fact these individuals will always find an alternative means to create a new market.
For example, when Australia took a ‘tough’ approach on heroin, sources found an alternative, cheaper drug in the marketplace, ice. Additionally, our young people are taking unknown drugs from sources that can also be unknown, because this is where they are accessible due to our crackdown on illegalising the use of drugs. This is dangerous and can also have significant consequences for our youth. We need to think about how we can target the drug pushers to ensure that they don’t get access to our young people.
I would be happy to have the conversation about removing the criminal element of drug use. As I said, jail should be not be the solution to managing this problem. It concerns me that 75 per cent of the government’s financial commitment is being used to catch drug users and traffickers and to put them in jail. This money should be spent on rehabilitation and drug and alcohol programs that can help our young people overcome the risks of drug use. The government should be serious about funding these programs rather than wasting their money on locking young people in jail cells.
Father Chris Riley
Chief Executive Officer
Youth Off The Streets Ltd
