It can be a conversation over before it’s even started. But for many parents just talking to their children about drugs can be daunting. Leading psychologist Professor Dianna Kenny offers her expert advice on just where to start. LISTEN NOW
He is known for this hardline opposition to pill testing. But NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller tells The Ripple Effect he is ready to explore other options to stem the alarming rise of overdose deaths at music festivals.
One of four people arrested for supplying drugs at Sydney’s Festival X (pictured centre) allegedly had 19 red capsules and $7110 in allegedly stolen cash on him, a court was told today.
A man has died at the Strawberry Fields Music Festival at Tocumwal in the NSW Riverina region today. The 24-year-old, believed to be a Victorian, is thought to have consumed multiple substances including GHB, MDMA and cocaine.
It makes criminals rich, gets kids high, forces governments to spend billions on fighting crime, healthcare and drug prevention. It also kills. This is The Ripple Effect, a special multimedia report, exploring the facts and impacts of party drugs. Heading into another hot, long summer of music festivals, it is essential reading.
Half a world away from Australia’s party pill scene, Dutch park ranger Erik de Jonge is fighting his own battle – the environmental damage caused by toxic waste dumped by drug manufacturers in his forest. He took The Ripple Effect on a tour.
MDMA is deadly but that message isn’t getting through to young Australians. One young user described it as just “like taking a Panadol” and that blase attitude has medical professionals on edge ahead of another long, hot summer of music festivals.
Booze-fuelled Schoolies can get hectic. And when they do, many young school leavers are worried about calling triple-0 for help — but fortunately — they will call the pancake-cooking Red Frogs.
It’s explicit, blunt and often over the top. So why would a YouTube star with almost five million art-loving followers want to tackle the confronting world of party drugs, music festivals and overdoses? Here he explains the inspiration behind his educational two-part video series.
It promises to leave users feeling “wildly happy”. But scientists and doctors are warning the chemicals released by MDMA into the brain also interfere with the body’s internal thermostat — with deadly consequences.
Not only is it easy to find international suppliers of the chemicals needed to cook MDMA but they are also willing to coach buyers on how to get their shipments past Australia customs. It took The Ripple Effect just 15 minutes to find a potential supplier.
Stefan Woodward won’t ever come home. At just 19, he died after overdosing at an Adelaide music festival — but every night his mum Julie walks into his room, sits on his bed and cries for her son.
Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/rippleeffect/drugs/page/5