Drug use and footy players: What’s the real problem?

[FrediKanoute]

And keeping them in the system and not over-penalising them is stopping them from getting into an addictive state. Exclusion is more likely to make them turn to drugs and actually become addicts. That's the entire point of it.

The fifty year war on drugs, and criminalising drug use has only led to privatisation of a prison system that makes money from people who should be in health facilities instead of being in high cost prison facilities where a higher chance of recidivism exists.

Why would the dynamics be any different when it comes to professional sport? The system creates the pressure, people release via drugs to counter that pressure, even without being addicted to drugs, and the system then spits them out and leaves them with what?

It fails the logic test on every level.

Completely and utterly agree. The system isn't working.....time to change it!

[jeemak]

The bill wasn't passed becasue we ahve been brought up on a diet of "Drugs are bad....ok!" so conservative people who have never tried or experimented will believe that every drug addict just wants to burgle their house or rob them or worse. The reality is that those behaviours people fear are as a result of the criminalisation of drugs. Drugs which have been legalised.....tobacco, alcohal, caffiene have different issues - but we accept them because we do not associate them with criminal activities.

We woudl have been far better to say to Bailey, "mate, I get doing coke gives you a great feeling, but what are the longer term effects of it? Do you want your football legacy to be that of a coked out almost player?".

I know you get it, but alcohol is the worst. It's an absolute killer and people just accept that it's fine.

It ruins Christmases, it ruins birthdays, it ruins work functions, it ruins every day lives and sees women bashed by partners day in and day out. Its addictive traits kills health and burdens the health system, it gets passed down from generation to generation as an illness.

The concept of what is illegal or illicit is completely ridiculous. I mean really, would our society be worse if people replaced alcohol with weed and mushies? Sure, Tuesdays and Wednesdays would be a bit challenging for society if everyone decided to get off the piss and have pingers on the weekend, but again, things wouldn't be worse than they are now with the horrendous things alcohol drives in behaviour.

[Grantysghost]

Substance abuse is the issue and the whys and hows around that.
Totally agree re grog; I've also seen a close friend lose his mind and ruin his life abusing THC.

I'm amazed booze is so readily available / normalised (the blood of christ?).

Maybe if we had some decent mdma t-shirt shooters...

[Twodogs]

Substance abuse is the issue and the whys and hows around that.
Totally agree re grog; I've also seen a close friend lose his mind and ruin his life abusing THC.

I'm amazed booze is so readily available / normalised (the blood of christ?).

Maybe if we had some decent mdma t-shirt shooters...

I've had all sorts of problems with lots of different drugs, I've had a couple of stints in detox getting clean from heroin and cannabis, done a twelve step program for amphetamine and done heaps of therapy to get to the bottom of my problems. I've been clean for a few years now.

Anyway the reason I say all that is so I can point out that I'm bloody glad I never had a problem with alcohol. I can't and never could stand the stuff but if I did I genuinely can't see how anyone who did have a problem with it could give it up with the culture we have here in Australia. At least with illicit drugs I can choose to avoid them and steer clear of certain people so I don't get tempted. But with alcohol and the constant advertising and availability of it everywhere it must take an iron will to keep dry. Same with gambling I reckon.

[azabob]

I'm amazed booze is so readily available / normalised (the blood of christ?).

..

But with alcohol and the constant advertising and availability of it everywhere it must take an iron will to keep dry. Same with gambling I reckon.

Both are legalised and money spinners... unfortunately that is what it comes down to.

Cash is king.

[Bulldog4life]

I know you get it, but alcohol is the worst. It's an absolute killer and people just accept that it's fine.

It ruins Christmases, it ruins birthdays, it ruins work functions, it ruins every day lives and sees women bashed by partners day in and day out. Its addictive traits kills health and burdens the health system, it gets passed down from generation to generation as an illness.

The concept of what is illegal or illicit is completely ridiculous. I mean really, would our society be worse if people replaced alcohol with weed and mushies? Sure, Tuesdays and Wednesdays would be a bit challenging for society if everyone decided to get off the piss and have pingers on the weekend, but again, things wouldn't be worse than they are now with the horrendous things alcohol drives in behaviour.

Extremely well put Jee. Agree with it 100%.