WA FOUND WANTING IN YOUTH PROGRAMS

Treatment programs for young WA drug users are not keeping up with demand.

An issues paper covering young people and illicit drug use found a lack of
services for young people as well as a lack of services suited to young people.

The most recent research on WA students aged 12 to 17 found nearly four in
10 students had used cannabis. Amphetamines were the second most prevalent
illicit drug - being used by 14.3 per cent - followed by LSD which had been
used by one in 10.

WA Institute of Child Health Research Professor Sven Silburn was head of
the group which investigated the issue. He said the substances most
commonly used at harmful levels by young people were tobacco, alcohol,
cannabis and amphetamines.

He was concerned the drug summit was focusing on illicit drugs.

"In terms of the harm caused by drugs to young people alcohol is a really
big problem," Professor Silburn said. "One way or the other, alcohol will
have to come on to the agenda for young people."

He said cannabis was a much bigger issue in WA than previously realised.
Rates of use had increased significantly in the past decade.

WA's rates were more than double those of the United States and the United
Kingdom and three times as high as Holland, where cannabis had been
decriminalised.

Professor Silburn said while said cannabis use was increasing, evidence
about its harmful effects was also emerging.

The paper found young people regarded drug use as serving meaningful
purposes like coping with pressures from family, school or peers, managing
mental health issues and dealing with a sense of not belonging. Young
people found youth services helpful. But when youth workers referred them
to a drug or alcohol agency many of the young people had special needs that
were not well addressed by the adult-oriented services.

One of the biggest gaps in services was the lack of crisis housing
available to young drug users and young people with mental health problems.

Young people who needed housing and used drugs were not having their needs
met or had to lie about their drug use to obtain accommodation.

"It's very important that we listen to what young people tell us about
their experience of drugs," Professor Silburn said. "There's clearly a need
for more services across the board."I think things are improving but there
are still clearly some barriers for a lot of people to use services and a
lot more needs to be done."

The paper highlighted concerns about increasing rates of drug use by young
people in regional and remote areas.

Professor Silburn said while rates of drug use in the country were
comparable to the metropolitan area, the level of services was not.

While the Goldfields had a higher proportion of young people than the
metropolitan area, it did not have any youth-specific alcohol and drug
services. The paper found there were few rehabilitation services
specifically for young people in WA.

Professor Silburn said there needed to be more intervention in schools if
authorities wanted to reduce the effect of drug use.

While drug education was an integral part of the WA health education
curriculum, it was still not universally available to all students.

The paper found some schools were considering taking the focus of their
drug policy away from disciplinary action and towards care plans.