Apr 09 Vol. 7 No. 2
Size: 2.2 MB Pages: 32
April 2009’s feature articles include:
- Not just for youth: drug use by the over 40’s – a 4 part feature
- Drug testing: using blood, hair, saliva and urine to test for substances
- Criminal justice: diversion programs for drug-related offenders
- Model Criminal Code: implications for personal use and trafficking
- WA’s Fitzroy Crossing: alcohol bans mixed results
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Drugs around the world: spotlight on Iran
What happens to the people who don’t make the headlines?
We are used to seeing studies and reports written about topics such as youth, remote residents, the homeless and many other groups worthy of attention. But rarelydo we see discussion about what happens to all these people as they age. In this issue, we ask that and other questions: What are the licit and illicit substanceusing behaviours of people over the age of 40? What do their lives look like? What are the problems they may face? And for people who use opioids – what are the implications of spending 10, 20 or more years on methadone maintenance or its equivalent treatment?
We’ve devoted a sizeable portion of this issue to exploring this subject and in doing so, discovered that there is very little Australian literature about it. With a rapidly ageing population, changing demographics and culture, it's time the sector turned its attention to this subject. We urge both our clinicians and researchers to look into the needs of the not-so-young Australians who drink, smoke or use illicit drugs.
With Australia’s first drug court turning 10 this year, we also thought it was time to give an update on programs which divert people who use drugs away from the criminal justice system.
And staying with the law, there has been talk in recent months of nationally implementing elements of the drug section of the Model Criminal Code. We ask what this could mean for people who use drugs for personal reasons, as opposed to those who traffic in them.
These are just a few of the topics in this new-look issue. As always, we hope the articles challenge and inform you.
