On ABC’s ‘Life Matters’, Associate Professor Steve Allsop Director of Curtin University’s National Drug Research Institute talks about trends in drug use. And there is good and bad news. ‘Dabbling’ use seems to be going down. And Buck Reed (on the same show) a first aid provider with UniMed says that on the ‘party scene’ drug-related problems/incidents have dropped over the past 3 to 4 years to about half what they were. All good news. On the other hand, those who are seriously enmeshed don’t seem to be doing as well with not as significant drops. And so we do what? Here it is again. The theme which just keeps popping up. Steve says that:
‘There is good evidence about the best way to protect people from drug-related problems is through connectedness; connectedness to adults, connectedness to schools, connectedness to recreational and cultural activities.’
He says that improving social and economic competence makes a difference. And he says this is equally true of remote communities. That enriched lives tends to reduce drug-related problems.
This theme I reckon, continues to be good news.