News
Government Continues Fight Against Illicit Drugs |
| Spokesperson: | The Hon Nicola Roxon - Minister for Health & Ageing |
| Date: | Monday, 4 January 2010 |
| Category: | National Health News |
| The Rudd Government is continuing the fight against the scourge of illicit drugs with a funding package totalling more than $4 million for measures to support peak bodies, drug education, online counselling, data collection and law enforcement research. The challenge presented by illicit drugs and alcohol misuse should never be underestimated. If left unchecked it can wreak havoc among our young people, destroying lives, tearing families apart and wrecking futures. The social cost of illicit drug abuse in Australia in 2004-05 was estimated at $8.2 billion. The holiday period can be a difficult time for Australians who are battling drug or alcohol dependence. It’s also a time to warn young Australians who might be contemplating experimenting with illicit substances. Ecstasy use, in particular, is of considerable concern and has been increasing over recent years. In 2007, more than one in ten people aged 20 to 29 and one in 20 teenagers had recently used ecstasy, and among 14-19 year old regular ecstasy users, 62% used the drug weekly or more often. Ecstasy is a dangerous drug which can cause dehydration and exhaustion and trigger multiple organ failure and hyperthermia. Ecstasy use results in anxiety, severe hallucinations and depression. Turning Point, a Victorian drug and alcohol service, will be provided with $750,000 to support and further develop national web-based counselling for illicit drug users who may fear seeking face-to-face support or are living in geographically isolated areas. The funding package tackles substance abuse on a number of fronts – including law enforcement, counselling and data collection. It includes measures ranging from $40,000 to support the Australasian Drug Strategy Conference to $1.1 million for the National Drug Law Enforcement Fund. The Government has approved $747,000 over three years to extend the Illicit Drug Reporting System operated by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at the University of New South Wales to continue to collect vital data on street-level drug trends. Illicit drug use is something the nation cannot ignore. It is a national challenge – a challenge this Government is continuing to address. The Government is investing $368.2m over four years to tackle illicit drugs. For more information contact the Minister’s office on 0409 945 476 |
|