We can’t solve our drugs problem without a debate

THERE was a time when a discussion on drugs was relatively simple but that’s changed with new attitudes and a whole range of new drugs, says Alex White.

cocaine powder in lines on a black background

MY old man told me about drugs. His message was clear; take drugs and you end up in jail or worse, dead.

It was the most awkward conversation of my teens which ended with me solemnly swearing I would not inhale.

At the age of 15 the argument seemed pretty black and white.

However, these days the hard line on drugs has blurred.

Medicinal cannabis is on the horizon, legal booze is being blamed as one of Australia’s biggest killers, kids are being arrested by the dozen for carrying drugs at music festivals and addicts shoot up in Victoria St daily as police appear to turn a blind eye.

The market is awash with an array of synthetic and unknown substances and experts warn people are often paying top dollar in street deals for substances which are just a cocktail of legal pharmaceuticals.

Overdoses from prescription drugs are now so common they outstrip the number of deaths occurring on Victorian roads.

On top of all this we are in midst of an ice epidemic with people being caught dosing up everywhere from back alleys in Melbourne to the green lawns of Flemington Race Course. Drugs are everywhere, whether they are illegal, synthetic or bought over the counter at a pharmacy.

The “drugscape” is evolving so fast frontline workers are often in the dark about what drugs their patients have been taking — which can have deadly consequences.

To put it bluntly, it’s time we talked about drugs.

In a bid to get the reality of drugs out in the open the Victorian Sex Party has launched an unprecedented motion to probe the issue in Parliament.

Significantly, the call received support from a range of political parties, who see throwing money at law enforcement as a losing strategy.

The panel will leave no stone unturned, investigating everything from synthetic marijuana to police drug testing and will even review if deploying sniffer dogs is an effective deterrent.

Most importantly experts will be called on to advise if we should be putting drug users in to rehab rather than throwing them behind bars.

Despite the benefits, talking about drugs gives people the jitters, with some questioning the Sex Party’s agenda.

It’s no secret MP Fiona Patten has a bohemian approach to drug use but she says helping Victorians smoke joints free from police retaliation, is not the point of this inquiry.

It’s about finding out what is really going on.

“We are locking up people from music festivals, along with drug addicts. Why are we paying $700 a night to lock them up when we can be paying $200 to get them off drugs,’’ Ms Patten says.

Last month Sydney music festival Sterosonic hit the headlines after a death of a young woman and scores of others arrested for drugs.

The festival continues to tour the country and the news is unlikely to change the mind of young party goers looking to test the limits.

Some have already taken to online vowing sniffer digs will not stop them from getting on the “pingas”.

Desperate to save lives the Australian Drug Foundation has called for pill testing machines to be introduced so at least people know what they are taking.

Under the current drug regimen the move is unlikely.

The Andrews Government has made it clear it is taking a tough on drugs approach, announcing the Ice Taskforce which has already unveiled a range of new offences and harsher penalties.

Experts have questioned whether the war on drugs works as the number of drug takers continues to grow.

Recreational users range from young professionals, people on welfare, school teens, top lawyers and police members and there is an ever increasing supply.

Now is the time for Victoria to do something about drugs but first we need to really start talking about them.

ALEX WHITE IS A HERALD SUN STATE POLITICS REPORTER

[e-mail]

@alexwhitelive