DRUG ABUSE SOARS

YOUNG Victorians are ignoring the tough-on-drugs message: dope and
ecstasy use is soaring.

A Melbourne survey found two in three young adults used cannabis in
the past 12 months, and one in three used ecstasy or other drugs.

The disturbing results come as the second phase of the Federal
Government's $27 million anti-drug campaign remains frozen because of
the election.

The Australian National Council on Drugs, led by Major Brian Watters,
fears the campaign could be scrapped if there is a change of
government. But a fellow expert said the anti-drug message was not
working anyway.

Australian Drug Foundation youth drug studies director Cameron Duff
said some bureaucrats had lost faith in the campaign.

"The Government knows it doesn't work but they keep putting money into
it," said Dr Duff. "It has the political virtue so the parents and
community can see that the government is doing something.

"But government insiders will tell you to your face -- it doesn't
work."

The Prime Minster launched the Tough on Drugs program in 1997. The
most recent addition was TV advertising (2001-03) showing a drug user
in a body bag and parents discussing drugs with their children.

A pamphlet entitled Tough on Drugs was sent to parents, offering
advice on talking to their children about drugs.

The ADF survey of 100 people between 18 and 30, mainly students, was
taken in the city in late winter.

It found 63 per cent had tried cannabis in the previous 12 months, and
33 per cent had used ecstasy or other illicit substances. A similar
study in 2003 found only 31 per cent had used cannabis in the previous
12 months and just 12 per cent had used ecstasy or other drugs.

The latest survey, taken at Federation Square and the State Library,
showed 79 per cent of young adults would not think worse of someone
who had used cannabis.

And 61 per cent thought cannabis use tolerable or acceptable, compared
with 19 per cent who regarded it as irresponsible, and only 7 per cent
who said it was wrong.

Of other drugs, 78 per cent saw them as prevalent and 49 per cent
found their use wrong or irresponsible, but 36 per cent accepted it.

A separate state survey of Melbourne University students in June
showed 90 per cent of drug users relied on friends for their primary
drug information; 50 per cent also used non-government websites.

Dr Duff said the Federal Government had lost the trust of many people
in their early 20s, who were confident they made well-informed
decisions about the use of drugs.

The ADF survey was consistent with trends showing a majority had
smoked cannabis before 20, but then exposure to ecstasy, speed and
cocaine climbed dramatically.

"We face the problem of being utterly ignored by giving a preventative
message," Dr Duff said. "We're trying to compete against these
pro-drug websites and the problem is a lot of that material is
factually based. They don't trust the Government any more because
there's a view the Government has exaggerated the risks.

"As soon as they have a first puff of marijuana, 10 years of drug
education goes down the drain."

Professor Margaret Hamilton, on both the Australian National Council
on Drugs and the Premier's Drug Prevention Council, acknowledged a
credibility problem for government campaigns among young adults.

She said the next phase of the federal anti-drug campaign was designed
to win credibility among different sub groups of users -- if it goes
ahead.

"The ads were not quite finalised when the election was called, and
then the process stopped," she said.