ADDICTED TO INSANITY

As a person who smokes pot on a regular basis, and has done for
around 30 years now. As a person who has spent most of that time
working, paying tax, and generally contributing to my community.

I have sat, and smoked, with people from all sectors of society, (not
just the junkies the government would have us believe are the only
face of drug use). I have shared smoke with judges/magistrates,
police officers, members of the legal fraternity, doctors,
politicians and even some ordinary honest people. All of these
people, like myself, were (and are), ordinary working, tax paying
Australians. But our Government would have those who know little or
nothing about drugs, other than alcohol, that we are all dangerous
and desperate junkies, prone to psychotic outbursts. What a load of rubbish.

Let the Government publicise the research papers showing the clear
links between drug use and mental illness. I think they cannot, as
all they have is the anecdotal evidence from the various community
organisations who have to deal with the small percentage of drug
users with a substance abuse problem. Substance abuse is a condition
arising from deeper issues, that affects a small minority of drug
users (and I include alcohol in all references to drugs). All the
people I know who have a serious problem with drug abuse have been
placed in that situation by the general, and mental, health systems.
Having been treated for chronic pain with the highly addictive
morphine, instead of non addictive non health threatening pure
heroin. Or given overdoses of damaging amphetimines as children to
deal with A.D.D./A.D.H.D. (WAY TO GO MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM).

It seems the Gov't would rather demonize a fairly large sector of the
community (approx 30%) in those of us who enjoy using a substance
other than alcohol for our recreation. Rather than render effective
health services to those who have a substance abuse problem.

I simply cannot understand the current Government's stance on drug
prohibition. I had hoped that the trend toward liberalism, that began
in the seventies, would lead our governments to take a more mature
approach to the issues of substance use as a social issue, and
substance abuse as a health issue.

But it seems we'll be waiting a while longer yet before we see a
Gov't with the intestinal fortitude required to deal responsibly (not
hysterically) with the issue.

Robert Fyffe

Rapid Creek