" Understanding " Drug Use !

This weekend past a twenty-five year old pharmacist met an untimely death at the Stereosonic music festival when she ingested what was sold as an "Ecstacy " drug.  This was an intelligent woman who had studied and become a registered chemist with the exacting task of making up the prescriptions our doctors prescribe to treat illness.   It seems ironic that she fell victim to a substance of unknown origin, probably manufactured in an illicit backyard somewhere by a totally unqualified "cook " - and sold for profit without any concern for the harm it may cause.

Drug use is ever on the rise.  On this same weekend the police carried out a drug blitz in the Albury/Queanbeyan area and of 856 drivers checked, 152 tested positive and were arrested. Police comment that the rate of drug detection now is about one in ten compared to one in three hundred where alcohol is involved, and the death rate from road crashes reflects this accordingly.

For many decades the official attitude has been "war on drugs "!   That is war on all drugs without much distinction on the individual risks each class of drugs delivers, and with little understanding of why logically sane people indulge in such a risky - and entirely voluntarily - self harm !

The usual contention is because drugs are addictive, and that is certainly true of opioids and the ever
 growing use of "Crack " Cocaine, but Marijuana and what is termed "Ecstacy " are typically "social " drugs used to enhance the dopamine sensations of the party scene.  They are used in exactly the same way many people imbibe alcohol - with the intention of getting  "High " !

That raises an interesting ethical question.  Alcohol is a perfectly legal drug with age restrictions on users.  Why do we differentiate and declare that getting "high "on booze is tolerated but any form of similar stimulation delivered in chemical form can land you in prison ?  It seems logical that if a liquor store can sell you alcohol then a pharmacy should be able to dispense an "Ecstacy " type substance, manufactured under hygenic and sustainable strength standards - to deliver a predictable outcome when taken.

The problem is that drugs sold on the party scene are produced by unqualified people from a wild mix of ingredients and they are bought by desperate party goers because there is no legal equivalent. Sometimes the mix is deadly when combined with alcohol or other drugs because the strength is unknown - and varies widely from batch to batch.  Regulating this area of the drug scene would not only save lives, it would put a serious dent in the illegal drug market.

Some countries have legalised Marijuana and here in Australia small quantities usually bring just a "caution " from the police, but there is no option other than the illegal trade when people enjoying music and dance events go looking for an Ecstacy type stimulant.   The drug trade meets demand, despite police with sniffer dogs manning event entrances and undercover cops circulating in the crowd.   The profits are huge - and the king pins of the drug trade grow insanely rich !

Unfortunately, the anti drug propaganda war has hardened public opinion against a change of tactics. The politicians are hesitant to introduce new policies and so the deaths will continue to mount.  There is no problem with drug supply on the streets of this country and no prospect of change, nomatter what tactics the police use to interrupt supply.

The only answer to the Ecstacy problem is a legal product of predictable quality and strength.  Users may still overdose by taking multiple tablets, but at least that outcome is entirely in their own hands and outcomes are predictable  !