Drugs Information Australians Together With Illicit Drugs: 'Struggle Street' To Celebrity Drug Use

News.com.au interviewed me in conclusion calendar week for a floor on celebrity drug role - 'Secret drug habits of the stars: Insiders let on what celebs larn upwards to when you're non watching' - I'd loathe to intend how many people read the slice as well as exactly lapped it up! Stories well-nigh 'famous people' using illicit drugs, getting caught, entering rehab, or them writing a 'tell-all' majority well-nigh the fact that they used illicit drugs, got caught as well as thus entered rehab are ever incredibly pop ... It's for certain non a bad article and does offering an insight into celebrity drug culture, which inward reality reflects how many Australian adults role illicit drugs (i.e., they role to socialize, usually on special occasions as well as in that place is no other criminal offense associated with their use).

This floor comes at the same fourth dimension every bit the in conclusion episode of SBS's 'Struggle Street' was aired. This controversial documentary, next the miserable as well as disenfranchised residents of Sydney's Mt Druitt, revealed to a greater extent than or less other side to illicit drug use. Heavily criticised every bit beingness exploitative 'poverty porn' that alone showed the negatives of the western suburb, the producers defended the series describing the demo as an "eye-opening glimpse at existent life inward under-resourced Australian communities". In price of drug role it showed 1 of the sons of the key describe of piece of work solid unit of measurement beingness kicked out of dwelling due to his H2O ice addiction, a 47 year-old heroin user who had been using the drug for thirty years trying to avoid housing subdivision officials who were trying to inspect his home, as well as maybe most confronting, a 21 year-old heavily meaning adult woman smoking a homemade bong. 

It was genuinely interesting to scout the reaction to 'Struggle Street', with many people finding it hard to believe that in that place are Australians who genuinely live like this, but it was the drug use, inward particular, that many constitute genuinely hard to comprehend. The truth is that for many alcohol as well as other drug workers these are the people they come across every day, maybe non ever thus extreme, but those who unremarkably larn into problem with drugs unremarkably accept a gain of other social problems every bit well. Unfortunately, no-one genuinely ever wants to demand heed well-nigh this disenfranchised group, for certain non the media. As 1 journalist told me inward the belatedly 90s when every media outlet was trying to detect novel stories on the 'heroin epidemic' - "No-one wants to read well-nigh a forty year-old junkie living on the streets over their breakfast on Lord's Day morning. If they're inward their teens, came from a skilful home, went to a skilful schoolhouse as well as they're injecting heroin - that's a story!" (That's an actual quote - I wrote it downward agency dorsum thus as well as I've kept it ever since - horrifying!)

We're seeing the same thing at the 2d with the H2O ice issue. As regular readers of my spider web log would know, I accept been trying to downplay the whole 'ice epidemic' - I'm for certain non proverb it's a occupation but although nosotros are seeing people from across the province as well as all walks of life affected, when you lot genuinely await at the information nosotros have, it genuinely is those communities who accept a whole gain of social problems (particularly inward regional centres) who are beingness devastated yesteryear this drug.

Although the media is getting a petty amend at reporting this (mainly because those who brand media comment from the alcohol as well as other drug sector are beingness much to a greater extent than careful with their commentary on this issue) nosotros notwithstanding come across journalists far to a greater extent than interested inward the 'extremes', rather than the 'norms'. For to a greater extent than or less fourth dimension 1 of the offset questions a journalist volition inquire me is "What is the youngest historic menses you lot are seeing use?" As I said inward a spider web log before this year, the sun Herald told the floor of 4 Sydney teenagers who had all tried the drug yesteryear the fourth dimension they were fourteen years former as well as the Canberra media ran a floor on users every bit immature every bit 12. There was fifty-fifty a front end page floor inward a regional newspaper a piece agone talking well-nigh a 10 year-old using the drug! Is this the norm? Absolutely not! Does it sell papers, charge per unit of measurement through the roof and scare people? Absolutely as well as media outlets know it!

What was wonderful (I'm non sure if that is quite the correct word) well-nigh the 'Struggle Street' documentary was that it showed a type of drug role that Australians aren't used to seeing as well as aren't comfortable watching (when was the in conclusion fourth dimension that you lot saw a media floor well-nigh a 47 year-old heroin user?). Ridiculous stories well-nigh Lindsay Lohan as well as the similar getting busted with illicit drugs, turning upwards to courtroom dressed inward designer clothes as well as thus doing a stint inward rehab for a dyad of days are much easier to watch, gossip well-nigh as well as thus larn on with our day-to-day lives without likewise much idea ... having the lives of people genuinely struggling with a gain of issues, including problematic drug use, thrust into our lounge rooms is confronting but important.

 

Getting dorsum to the H2O ice number (one to a greater extent than time) ... Ice is a highly problematic drug that tin effort bang-up problems for anyone who uses it, from whatsoever walk of life, but if nosotros await at it a petty closer, in that place is a really specific grouping (the grouping the media, as well as sadly many Australians aren't genuinely interested inward reading well-nigh or seeing) that are experiencing the greatest problems. Viewing it merely as a 'nasty petty drug' ignores the fact that there is an underlying social number hither that we're most in all likelihood non dealing with especially good ... The greatest problems nosotros are seeing with H2O ice are inward regional communities, especially alongside lower socio-economic as well as disenfranchised groups (like those inward the 'Struggle Street' documentary).

 

People role unlike drugs for unlike reasons as well as the truth is that many people volition role illicit drugs (even H2O ice believe it or not!) for a menses of fourth dimension as well as never accept a major occupation with their use. However, it doesn't affair whether you lot alive inward a housing committee dwelling or ain a mansion, larn to the best mortal schoolhouse or the local populace high school, accept the most loving, caring describe of piece of work solid unit of measurement inward the globe or larn brought upwards on the street, you lot tin detect yourself with a important drug problem. Unfortunately, the truth is that it is those who accept other social problems are to a greater extent than probable to sense problems inward this area. Sadly, media outlets believe that reading or seeing stories well-nigh those on 'struggle street' with drug problems is exactly likewise confronting for many Australians as well as every bit a effect nosotros volition hold to last fed to a greater extent than palatable stories well-nigh celebrities as well as their 'problems'. Pretty lamentable genuinely ...

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