YOUNG Aborigines in Arnhem Land are spending up to two-thirds of their income on cannabis after the drug exploded in popularity across Top End indigenous communities in the late 1990s.
A new study into the high rate of cannabis use in Arnhem Land found that drug-related financial pressures had led to widespread violence and intimidation among families, with Aboriginal communities spending about $1 in every $6 on cannabis.
The study by the Menzies School of Health Research found cannabis had also added to existing patterns of other substance abuse in Arnhem Land, including petrol-sniffing and amphetamines.
It follows a previous report by the same group of researchers that found up to 70 per cent of Aboriginal men and 30 per cent of women aged between 13 and 36 had started smoking cannabis in the late 90s.
"That rate is considerably higher than in the rest of Australia," said the main author of the study, Alan Clough.
"The prevalence of cannabis use is much wider in Aboriginal communities, and has been established much more rapidly than elsewhere in Australia."
The research, to be published in the Drug and Alcohol Review in December, was based on interviews with 336 people aged between 13 and 36 in two Aboriginal communities in Arnhem Land.
The study details how drug dealers are making a killing in the communities by charging about 12 times more than they would in other parts of the Northern Territory.
A small packet of cannabis cost about $50 and there were no guarantees about how much would be inside.
"The dealers have enormous flexibility to charge what the market is prepared to pay," Mr Clough said.
The study says most of the young drug users in Arnhem Land bought at least one $50 packet of cannabis each week, spending between 31 per cent and 62 per cent of their average weekly income of $160.
Cannabis users also were less likely to participate in education or training programs and were more likely to suffer weight loss and other health problems. The study also notes concerns about the increased possibility of alcohol-related suicide when combined with cannabis use.
It reveals that more than half the cannabis users aged under 20 had a history of petrol sniffing. Mr Clough said further work was needed to determine whether cannabis use had exacerbated the health problems suffered by petrol-sniffers.
"There's really no other situation like it where people have been using inhalants for the last few years, and then along came cannabis," he said.
But Mr Clough said he was encouraged by recent anecdotal evidence that suggested the explosion of cannabis use in remote Aboriginal communities had reached its limit.
"We are possibly over the peak of the epidemic," he said. "People are telling me that they are either starting to slow down or abstaining."
The research comes as the territory Government prepares to table this week a major report into substance abuse across the territory.
The Government has announced $10 million would be spent over five years to implement the recommendations of the long-awaited report.
"We can no longer *****-foot around these issues," Community Services Minister Marion Scrymgour said.
Obviously the blacks referred to in that ^ article are Australian Aborigines, but I'd imagine you would have the same problem with young black people in America.
Yeah of course, if it's a problem in America, it must be with the blacks. OR the mexicans, can't forget them, they are the ones bringing it in after all, selling it to the blacks you know. ITs a conspiracy.
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, diet coke in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"
Inside me lives a skinny woman crying to get out. But I can usually shut her up with cookies.
A friend is someone who thinks you're a good egg, even though you're slightly cracked.
Nymphadora said this in post #4 : Yeah of course, if it's a problem in America, it must be with the blacks. OR the mexicans, can't forget them, they are the ones bringing it in after all, selling it to the blacks you know. ITs a conspiracy.
That's not what I meant. I am not blaming the blacks for it (Or the mexicans).
I just mean that minority groups in general throughout most countries are the ones who tend to turn to drugs as they have more social problems and stuff. In Australia, our main minority are Aborigines and in America, your main minority are African Americans. Therefore I would assume that our two countries have similar problems with these minority groups.
I am certainly not blaming Aborigines for there being weed around. Aborigines didn't even grow vegetables, they certainly didn't grow weed.
YOu know thougght it's not really the pot smoking minorities that worry me (although around where I live it's mainly mid class whites that smoke it) it's the coke and meth and x and heroin addicted twikers of the upperclass that does.
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, diet coke in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"
Inside me lives a skinny woman crying to get out. But I can usually shut her up with cookies.
A friend is someone who thinks you're a good egg, even though you're slightly cracked.
Upperclass drug users of any race are usually harmless though. It's the lowerclass people who can't afford to support their habits that are mugging and bashing people and breaking into cars to steal your stereo that are the problem.
You know I knew a guy. HIs stepdad is the richest guy in Asheboro. He actually owns most of it. And this guy actually rented out his new volkswagon bettle to a guy for an hour for 20 bucks so he could buy a crack rock. hehe how pathetic. Needless to say he never saw his car again.
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, diet coke in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"
Inside me lives a skinny woman crying to get out. But I can usually shut her up with cookies.
A friend is someone who thinks you're a good egg, even though you're slightly cracked.
10-05-2004 07:02 AM
