By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
A GROWING number of young men with stable families and jobs are landing in trouble by using the drug ‘ice’, a Dandenong-based youth substance-addiction service manager says.
Youth Support and Advocacy Service community programs manager Warren Eames said the new class of young people abusing crystal methamphetamine — also known as ice — had more advantaged backgrounds than its “traditional” clientele.
“We are seeing young men in apprenticeships, with burgeoning careers and have started experimenting with amphetamines and party drugs. They’re a short cut for confidence, a loss of inhibition — it feels good.
“Some of these young people getting into it are partying really hard on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and do their best to front up to work on Monday morning. They then get into trouble with their boss, have a bit of attitude. Their increased use of amphetamines has turned into dependent use in a very short space of time.”
Mr Eames described the sub-group as “not a dominant part of our work” but a significant, emerging area.
“A parent will make a referral after a mini-disaster in the family or they have entered the mental health system as a casualty or emergency patient. Often they are involved with us for only a brief time because the young person has the emotional development to recognise this has got out of control.”
Mr Eames’ comments come as research shows growing numbers of ambulance call-outs are being called to help people fuelled on alcohol and ice in Greater Dandenong.
Research by Turning Point Alcohol & Drug Centre shows Greater Dandenong is in the top three metropolitan Melbourne municipalities for alcohol and drug call-outs.
Between 2009-12, alcohol remained the most common factor, soaring from 324 call-outs to 435.
Greater Dandenong had fewer than five crystal methamphetamine call-outs in 2009-10; two years later it was in the top three with 30.
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