Ice use drops, heroin use rises

TAPESCRIPT 12

AM - Saturday, 13 October, 2007 08:12:00

Reporter: Michael Turtle

ELIZABETH JACKSON: For the first time this decade, the annual drug trend figures show a drop in the use of crystal methamphetamine or ice.

But at the same time the figures indicate that the heroin drought might be over.

Here's our Youth Affairs Reporter, Michael Turtle.

MICHAEL TURTLE: At the Salvation Army's detox centre in Sydney's Surry Hills, there are 10 beds.

The charity's Graham Drew says recently there's been a change in the drugs that people using those beds are seeking help for.

GRAHAM DREW: Well, I've asked some of our frontline people and they said over the last few weeks there has been a … they have noticed a trend where there are a drop-off in the numbers of people coming in addicted to ice and, correspondingly, a spiked increase in the number of people using heroin.

MICHAEL TURTLE: And that fits with the latest data from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre.

The centre's Louisa Degenhardt says there's been a trend away from ice, and that's probably because it's now got a bad reputation.

LOUISA DEGENHARDT: And I think it's just experience. I mean, there's a lot of people who have had negative effects of using the drug, because they've developed problems with it or it's had acute negative effects. And I think it's about people learning that there are risks and choosing not to take them.

MICHAEL TURTLE: At the Salvo's detox centre, John has checked himself in for his ice addiction, and he knows all about the negative effects it has.

JOHN: And I've seen myself, like, a few friends gone nuts and absolutely just been violent for no reason, aggressive, just going out looking to get into punch-ups, looking to get into fights, looking to destroy things, just going along, like people will just set fires in otto bins and just let them burn down to a puddle on the ground, like just random acts of violence and aggression really.

MICHAEL TURTLE: The annual drug figures, though, show that heroin is starting to be used more commonly again.

It's been years since the heroin drought was credited with slowing the use of the drug, and Professor Degenhardt believes the availability may be on the rise again.

This is probably linked with increased production in places like Afghanistan.

For the Federal Government, it presents a constantly evolving challenge

The Minister responsible for drug policy, Christopher Pyne, claims some credit for the drop in ice.

CHRISTOPHER PYNE: Look, I think it's a combination of factors. One would be the education campaign that the Government has run, recently of course on the television but also publicly over the last few years we've taken a very firm line on the use of illicit drugs, and particularly with respect to ice.

I think the media has played an important part in highlighting the dangers of ice, and obviously drug users are responding to that, which is pleasing.

ELIZABETH JACKSON: And that's Christopher Pyne ending Michael Turtle's report.

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