SBS: Cutting Edge "The Meth Epidemic"

[DanP]

Dazzler,

You're starting to believe the shyt they spout in court to get a lower sentence.

You're making some pretty gross generalisations by saying most druggies come from abusive families. Some do I'm sure, but if you beilieve that it is a case of 'most', I think you are sadly wrong.

I don't believe that there is any one reason that people make the concious and educated decision to take up a syringe and stick it in themselves. Nobody can say that they don't know the consequences these days. You only have to look around to see them. Some would be peer and group pressure, some would be to escape a life they don't want to be a part of, some just because it is there.

You suggest mandatory detox etc, what do you think courts are doing? Most courts here will put them through detox and as soon as they have done their time they can't wait to stick it up their arm again.

Dan

[echnidna]

what if it was your kid echidna ? would you be so willing to pull the trigger ? or could someone else do it for you ?

Give me the gun.

[Zed]

Give me the gun.

geez thats harsh

[echnidna]

geez thats harsh

Not at all -- its sanity when youre dealing with a druggie

[Zed]

Lets get this straight : you'd trigger your own kid? glad I dont live near you. what a crap hole that would be...

[Grunt]

Cigarettes are a drug. Should we kill those addicted to them? What about alcohol? Both of those do more damage to Australians than ALL other illicit drugs combined.

[Iain]

Cigarettes are a drug. Should we kill those addicted to them? What about alcohol? Both of those do more damage to Australians than ALL other illicit drugs combined.

Except that smokers and drinkers don't steal as a rule to support the habit.
I note that on 1/7/07 hotels will 'have' to ban smoking in Vic
Should make them a more pleasant environment for a social gathering and a session of male bonding

[Grunt]

Except that smokers and drinkers don't steal as a rule to support the habit.

They would if it was illegal. Why aren't they illegal considering the damage they do?

[Iain]

Because without tobacco, petrol and alcohol our Pollies would not be able to live in a style to which they should not be accustomed.

[dazzler]

Hey

DanP - I actually dont go to court unless to give evidence. Couldnt care less what a court imposes. Nothing to do with me. Present the facts to the court and then its up to them. I stopped trying to make sense of them years ago. Rarely do police sit through an entire judgement or sit beside the judge while he goes over case law and previous sentencing.

I also dont pay too much head to arguements of counsel;

Prosecution - He was doing 200 past a school on a harley
Defence - My client was doing 20 delivering meals on wheels

There was a turning point in my view on criminality. A while back I investigated a fraud against the Govt of >$500,000.00. At the beginning my mind was "lets get this thieving *&&^" and put him away.

Search warrants, full brief, offender made full and frank admissions. After he had been charged and plead and was awaiting sentence.

TDuring a two hour record of interview the story he told, and later found to be true, was quite interesting.

He owned a business with lots of machinery. The business had been started by his grandfather and was large. He lived on the farm his grandfather had cleared. Lived in his grandfathers house left to him.
He had two kids and a wife. His older mother lived at home with them. All Good.

His business was in competition with another large business. All his machinery was destroyed by arson. Later his house was burned while he was away. (both stupidly uninsured)

He borrowed heavily to build his business back up and build a new house. He was recieving a rebate from the govt for his business.

Then his daughter was injured and died in his arms while waiting for the ambulance to arrive which went to the wrong town. His wife later that year got cancer, he became depressed and his business suffered. Legal action would commence if he did not make his payments. The farm would be lost. He started to make extra claims on this rebate from the govt in the hope it would keep him afloat. He has now lost the family farm, has cancer himself and is looking at a lengthy prison term.

What should he get, a long prison sentence, its a lot of money stolen. But the truth is if he got a bond and/or suspended sentence I would be happy. Perhaps some may think Ive gone soft - perhaps, I think just more understanding of human fraility.

Back to the discussion;

In my experience MOST druggies have come from disfunctional families. Thats my experience and I imagine others have very different experiences. I have worked the beat, on foot, and spent a lot of time talking to druggies, not just ones I pinched, but got to know them.

Very few of the interactions have been as a result of court action, most from face to face contact just talking. Three are human sources.

However none can explain why you would do the things you do to get the drugs.

It is once you realise the pull that drugs have, and meth particularly, that makes druggies do what they do. People rarely wake up one morning and think - I might do some drugs today that destroy my life.

Seriously, who gives a rats why they started to do what they do.

What can we do to stop it and help them, and by that help our own community by stopping them needing to do it in the first place.

maybe shootin is easier

dazzler the big softie

[Grunt]

Because without tobacco, petrol and alcohol our Pollies would not be able to live in a style to which they should not be accustomed.

But the health care costs of tobacco exceeds the revenue of taxation on cigarettes.

BTW, I don't think we pay our pollies enough. The only people who go into politics are those who want some fame. They certainly don't do it for the money.

Pay peanuts, get monkeys.

[Graha]

Because without tobacco, petrol and alcohol our Pollies would not be able to live in a style to which they should not be accustomed.

Oh how true this is.

[scooter]

For those that missed it the first time, "The Meth Epidemic" is on again tonight at 11pm on SBS.


Cheers.............Sean