YOUNG MALES IN DRUGS' GRIP

Hard and soft drug users in Queensland are most likely to be
unmarried or separated men aged in their 20s, new research reveals.

Disturbing trends exposed in the Crime and Misconduct Commission's
illicit drug survey has sparked a call for educational interventions
to warn young men of the dangers of drug use. The data collected from
Queensland households between 2002 and 2005, showed men aged between
20 and 29, who had a prior arrest -- excluding minor traffic
violations -- and were unmarried or separated, but not divorced, were
characteristically most associated with illicit drug use.

It also revealed a possible graduation from cannabis to hallucinogens
to heroin.

"In 2005, the youngest mean age of first use of the different types
of illicit drugs was 18.1 years for cannabis, followed by 19.4 years
for hallucinogens," the report said.

". . . The mean age of first use was 20 years for heroin, 20.6 years
for amphetamines and 22.1 years for ecstasy.

"The oldest mean age was 25.2 years for sleeping pills/tranquillisers
for non-medical purposes."

Last year, participants who used cannabis did so about 11 times in one month.

Over the four years, almost 6 per cent of Queenslanders had used
amphetamines and about one-fifth of those had at some point injected the drug.

About 1 per cent of Queenslanders had used heroin, about 4 per cent
had taken ecstasy, 5 per cent had used hallucinogens and 2.4 per cent
had used sleeping pills or tranquillisers.

CMC research and prevention director Sue Johnson said about 30 per
cent of the 13,000 respondents had used cannabis but the prevalence
rate had decreased slightly from 2002 to 2005 (33 per cent and 28 per
cent respectively). Ms Johnson said the data would be used by law
enforcement and health agencies.

Although there was an increase in the number of respondents who
believed there were health risks associated with monthly or weekly
cannabis use, nearly 40 per cent perceived there was no or only a
slight health risk.

"However, current research suggests that cannabis may pose a number
of health risks to individuals," the report said.

"There is a strong support for link between cannabis and the
development and exacerbation of psychosis and other mental health conditions.

"Educational interventions are required to better inform
Queenslanders . . . of the health risks associated with illicit drug use."