April 2002

Million dollar boost for drug projects

The Government has provided $1 million for local community projects to prevent drug harm among young offenders aged 16 to 24 years old.

Minister for Health John Thwaites announced the funding while releasing details of the first quarterly survey of the Premier’s Drug Prevention Council on the patterns and perceptions of drug use among young people.

The extra funds for drug prevention programs will enable community organisations to assist young people most at risk of drug abuse.

‘This one-off funding round will be specifically aimed at young offenders, victims of child abuse and those young people identified as being ‘at risk’ by school welfare officers.

‘Projects should address some of the underlying issues which lead our most vulnerable young people to take drugs and look at ways of involving them back into mainstream activities and programs with other young people.

‘Consideration will also be given to projects that already exist and are working well but require additional resources for documentation and evaluation.’

Mr Thwaites said the PDPC’s first quarterly survey provided important information on the types of drugs being used by 16-to 24-years-olds and their views on how drugs affected their lives.

‘The survey found that 93 per cent of all respondents had used alcohol at some time in their lives with about one third of males and one sixth of females considered to be at high risk of long term harm due to their level of drinking,’ he said.

‘The most common illicit drug used is marijuana, (48 per cent having tried the drug) followed by amphetamines or speed (15 per cent) and ecstasy (14 per cent).

Only two per cent of those surveyed had tried heroin and six per cent had tried cocaine.

‘The survey also found that 10 per cent of males and five per cent of females have driven a car while under the influence of illicit drugs and 12 per cent of males and six per cent of females had gone to school or work while drug affected.

‘Most people reported their use of illicit drugs as having no effect on their relationships with family and friends, school work, health and lifestyle.’

Other key findings include:

• Alcohol used by 93 per cent of the 1,500 young people surveyed in Melbourne and country homes. One in three males and one in six females now at high risk of long term harm from drinking;

• Inhalants tried by three per cent of those surveyed, with 0.2 per cent sniffing or ‘chroming’ in past year;

• 13 per cent of males and seven per cent of females had caused a public disturbance while intoxicated and one in three males and one in five females had verbally abused someone while intoxicated;

• Marijuana tried by nearly half and one in 10 used amphetamines or ecstasy in 2001/2002;

• Teens 16 to 17 associate drug issues with marijuana; those 18 to 24 link issues with heroin;

• Heroin used by two per cent, cocaine (six per cent) and LSD and other synthetic hallucinogens (eight per cent);

• 10 per cent of males and five per cent of females have driven while under the influence of illicit drugs, while 12 per cent of males and six per cent of females had gone to school or work while drug-affected;

• Most said using drugs had not affected relationships, school life, work, health or lifestyle.