Drug Use Among Remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities - Term Paper Example

Drug Use Drug Use Among Remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities Societies have long and winding journey towards the battle against substance abuse. Problems associated to the use of illicit drugs have become endemic which both highlight and contribute to increasing international tensions. Several researches have been conducted and reported that the tensions brought about by global predicaments on drugs include: economic as well as social marginalization, rapid changes in political placement, increased underemployment and unemployment, reduced solidarity among family and community and increased crime. Moreover, global changes that support and facilitate better transportation of goods, people and money from one country to, another inexpensively, created worse consequences. Obviously, the visibility of inequalities among opportunities and benefits of people around the world became more apparent, and so with the growing vast inequality between rich and poor. In some cases, many social problems have been the result of country's political instability, lack of economic progress due to mismanagement of the economy and ethnic conflicts. There have been hammy increase in the availability as well as the use of cannabis in several remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander settlements in recent years. New wave of cannabis use exist in addition to alcohol use and other substances. Community of Drug Users in Australia In preparation for the Australia 2020 Summit (Australia 2020 Summit, 2008; p 1-3), Prime Minister Kevin Rudd invited 1000 Australians to contribute in shaping the nation's long term strategy useful in the future. The organization intends to discuss the long-term Drug Use 2 challenges which confront Australia. The Australia 2020 Summit was created to harness the best ideas across the nation as well as to apply the said ideas to meet the challenges before them. Indeed, history has left Australians the faith that the country's public sphere has a critical role in building the future of the nation.. Australian 2020 Summit's major theme is focused on the necessity of redressing Aboriginal as well as the Torres Strait Islander disadvantage. It also included the urgency to embrace the range of non-indigenous and indigenous stories which are the country's culture. Across many streams, it was discussed as a prerequisite to Australia's further development (Australia 2020 Summit, 2008; p 4). According to the Danila Dilba Medical Service (2000; p 3), Indigenous Australians are more likely to use and to inject illicit substances than non-Indigenous counterparts. In fact, in Indigenous communities, injecting drugs exist among young people as well as older members of the society. The community recognize that there are several factors which cause the implications of illicit drug use. Examples include: family breakdown, unemployment, leisure boredom,lack of positive role models and peer group issues. Australians felt the need to explore the relationships among the contributory factors on the use of prohibited drugs by Indigenous Australians as well as its associations to the existing threat of HIV and Hepatitis C. Many indigenous people who are drug users inject the harmful substance by sharing needles and syringes with all other injecting equipment. Like among other drug users, they are not exerting effort to access the health care services due to the shame of are afraid of stigma associated with prohibited drug use. Blagg's cited a meta-analysis of the literature ( Blagg 2000: 4-5) which identified different "causes" of family violence among Indigenous communities, including: the Drug Use 3 marginalisation and dispossession; disruption of community kinship systems as well as Aboriginal law; entrenched poverty; loss of land and traditional culture; effects of institutionalisation as well as removal policies; "redundancy"of the traditional Aboriginal male status and role; racism; aggressive assertion of male rights beyond women and children and finally, alcohol and drug abuse. One of the common illicit drugs used by some indigenous is the cannabis; the supply of of this plant is facilitated via drug distribution networks. In few areas, these are run by the indigenous people who have positions of influence or power in a given area. The growth in demand for the drugs in remote areas seems to have attracted the curiosity or interest of profiteers coming from outside of those communities, then, accelerating the flow of money from far or remote communities to urban areas. Studies found that these networks have capability to generate very high monetary returns, with cannabis bought in the core of the city able to be quickly and conveniently sold for around four to five times (4-5x) the price in remote areas. One study revealed that up to two-thirds (2/3) of males while one in five (5) females in some areas of Arnhem Land communities were using cannabis on a regular basis. In fact, some users were spending their income between one-third and two-thirds for cannabis use. First time users was falling to about 10 or 11 years old in some areas. As evidenced by the broad-brimmed use of 'bucket bongs, the patterns of application were also problematic; home-made devices that allow users to smoke the same amount of up to 20 joints per session. Recently, Indigenous Australians are becoming known for their use of illicit drugs, Drug Use 4 aside from the poor health of other populations, they have also been subjects or examples of people whose primary needs are neglected; Indigenous Australians also have a shorter life expectancy compared to other Indigenous people including Native Americans and New Zealand Maoris (Health and Welfare Of Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, 1997),thus, several campaigns have targeted Indigenous Australians. Although there is one agency delegated to attend the medical needs of Australian Aborigin (The Aboriginal Medical Services), the agency is however, poorly attended by the Indigenous. To some, Aboriginal Medical Services workers and staff are not always well equipped or trained to deal about illicit drug users. Besides the fact that there are many aspects of cultural, political, social, and economic issues which impact Indigenous Australians' illicit drug use that must be taken into account if and when program or interventions will be developed. Vulnerability of Indigenous Australians towards Criminal Offenses Although there are information available on illicit drug use of many Indigenous people in urban locations, too few is known regarding drug use by the Indigenous people in in remote and rural regions. Generally, existing data suggest that Indigenous people in urban areas have higher rates of cannabis use and other prohibited drug use, as compared to rural regions. Police surveyed for the project reported that various illicit drugs were commonly or very commonly used by Aboriginal people in their region. As for the amphetamine, the use is common or very common. The police assigned in urban and non-urban areas disclosed that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander settlers in their local area have serious to moderate Drug Use 5 alcohol use problems. They also reported that excessive cannabis in take exacerbates many problems among other local Indigenous residents, specifically family violence and mental health problems. In relation to the reported violence among indigenous people of Australia, the New South Wales Police presented the 2000 statistics (Fitzgerald and Weatherburn, 2001) which shows that of the hundred and two (102) sexual assaults reported in opposition to Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal people, 84.8 % of the offenders were identified as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Memmott, et. al. (2001; 6) describes Australia as a country of diverse nations of Aboriginal people. These people do not only have common history of dispossession, oppression and marginalisation; they also differ in their culture, languages and history. Their communities are also noted with varying marks of difference including social problems like violence. The success of the cannabis trade and the establishment of trafficking routes (Willis, 2009; p 3) will potentially provide avenues for the distribution of other drugs, notably amphetamines, in the future. In terms of harm, the increased use of cannabis is having a range of impacts on some Aboriginal communities. Where large amounts are spent on cannabis, there may not be enough money for basic necessities. There are indications of high levels of violence, injuries, accidents, psychosis and self harm. Use can also impact on education and employment, levels of crime (which may increase to obtain money for drugs) and participation in community and cultural life. There is also evidence of the use of sexual favours to obtain drugs. The supply of cannabis is facilitated through drug distribution networks. In some areas, these are run by Indigenous people with positions of power or Drug Use 6 influence. The growth in demand for drugs in remote areas appears to have attracted the interest of profiteers from outside those communities, accelerating the flow of money from remote communities to urban areas. The research found that these networks can generate very high profits, with cannabis bought in a capital city able to be quickly and easily sold for four to five times the price in remote areas. Research and Social Interventions of Illicit Drug Use Research is an essential tool in generating relevant data useful as bases for intervention programs. In the same way, effective prevention strategies (Loxley, et. al., 2004) must be appropriately studied and aligned within the context of political or societal attitudes and policies. Which can be best exemplified by the several cigarette smoking intensive mass-media campaigns and accompanied by strict regulatory controls on sponsorship, advertising, price, as well as smoking in public places. According to Stockwell (2005), regardless of the level of risk; including social marketing, regulatory control, economic measures, law enforcement initiatives and the range of psychosocial programs for are available for young people which can be adopted in the community. All the more, school-based drug education programs are another effective strategies in preventing and delaying the start of drug use (Midford, Snow, and Lenton, 2001) and in reducing drug consumption on a short term basis. As cited by Willi (2009; p 8-10), Local- Drug Use 7 based committees can be structured to function against drug abuse . The team can be composed of representatives from a different agencies that meet to lessen legal as well as illegal drug-related harm. The team can respond properly to the particular needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander citizens and to help improve the communities' understanding about their programs and resources that can effectively reduce alcohol as well as other drug misuse throughout Aboriginal communities. Specific roles include: To assist in identifying as we ll as implementing projects that are significant to Aboriginal communities; Encourage the people to access diversion, prevention, and treatment programs; Increase the drug abuse team's capacity to respond to indigenous people; Development of an Cultural Awareness Program; Streamlining the complaints process; Recruitment of Aboriginal people to work for roles and attend the Structured Training and Employment Projects. It is important to embrace Australian culture with pride and admiration. Cultures which provide an uninterrupted, unique and human thread linking the Australian continent to the historical and most ancient prehistory of the planet. From this new respect, Indigenous brothers and sisters can be viewed with newly awakened eyes that also educate the minds as to how practical challenges Indigenous Australia will face the future. Drug Use 8 REFERENCES Blagg, H. (2000), Crisis intervention in aboriginal family violence:strategies and models for western australia, Partnerships Against Domestic Violence, Canberra. Blagg, H. with Ray, D., Murphy, R. & Macarthy, E. (2000), Crisis intervention in aboriginal family violence: Strategies and models for western australia, Partnerships Against Domestic Violence, Canberra. Carter, E. (1987), Aboriginal women speak out, Adelaide Rape Crisis Centre, Adelaide. Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy and Development (2000a), Queensland government responses to the aboriginal and torres strait islander women's task force on violence: The First Step, Queensland Government, Queensland. Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy and Development (2000b), Queensland Government Responses to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Task Force on Violence: The Next Step, Queensland Government, Queensland. Fitzgerald, J. & Weatherburn, D. (2001), Aboriginal victimisation and offending: the picture from police records. NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, Sydney. Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (1997), Bringing them home: report of the national inquiry into the separation of aboriginal and torres strait islander children from their families, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Sydney. Drug Use 7 Loxley W, Toumbourou J, Stockwell T, et al. (2004) The prevention of substance use, risk and harm in Australia: a review of the evidence. Canberra: The National Drug Research Centre and the Centre for Adolescent Health, 2004. Available August 29, 2009 from http://www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/publishing.nsf/content/health-pubhlth-publicat-document-mono_prevention-cnt.htm Memmott, P., Stacy, R., Chambers, C. & Keys, C. (2001), Violence in Indigenous Communities, Commonwealth Attorney General's Department, Canberra. Midford R, Snow P, Lenton S. (2001) School-based illicit drug education programs: a critical review and analysis. Literature review prepared for the Department of Employment, Training and Youth Affairs. Melbourne: Centre for Youth Drug Studies, Australian Drug Foundation. Partnerships Against Domestic Violence (no date), The National Indigenous Family Violence Grants Program. Available August 29, 2009 from http://www.indigenousviolence.net/padv.html Queensland Police Service (2003), Statistical Comparisons 2002-2003, Queensland Police Service. Available August 29, 2009 from http://www.police.qld.gov.au/pr/services/statsnet/0203/02_03.shtml Queensland Government (2000), Queensland Government Responses to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Task Force on Violence: The First Step, Queensland Government, Queensland. Drug Use 7 Queensland Government (2000), Queensland Government Responses to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Task Force on Violence: The Next Step, Queensland Government, Queensland. Stockwell T, Gruenewald P, Toumbourou JW, Loxley W. Recommendations for new directions in the prevention of risky substance use and related harms. In: Stockwell T, Gruenewald P, Toumbourou JW, et al, editors. Preventing harmful substance use: the evidence base for policy and practice. London: Wiley, 2005: 443-464. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Task Force on Violence (2000), The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women's Task Force on Violence Report, Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy and Development, Queensland. Read More