Australia is in the grip of the methamphetamine epidemic. This is because it is the worst drug the country has so far faced. More users that are domestic are within the nation than in any other country. Among the illicit drugs in the country, methamphetamine is the most destructive, addictive, and available (Australian Crime Commission, 2015). The country is applying diverse initiatives to reduce the impact of methamphetamine use in young adults. The law enforces from the national to the territorial lead in recording seizures and arrests (Queensland Government, 2017). Mass media campaigns have also been applied to reduce the local demand for the drug. These efforts have no evidence of stemming the measures. This is because the strategies have concentrated solely on balancing treatment, rehabilitation, education, and family support.
Previous strategies included integration of the law enforcement, education, and treatment efforts (Coyne, White, & Alvarez, 2015). Presently, the government together with its agencies focuses on minimizing harm by reducing the demand for the drug, reducing associated threats, and supplying the reduction. The new strategy the country is to apply considers three points: integration, innovation, and disruption. The strategy aims are reducing the availability of drugs and disruption of user behavior through the integration of education and health initiatives. This is strategy was to minimize the rate of drug trafficking at street levels, and minimize the rate of petty crimes, thereby influencing the supply reduction (Coyne, White, & Alvarez, 2015). The government ensured that the supply was reduced to enable some eh addicts to seek the necessary treatment. Instead of increased addicts and dealers, the government is to ensure that alternative programs are available in addition to addiction treatment. The new model includes both residential treatment as a downstream component and the upstream component comprising of school-based counseling and early intervention.
References
Australian Crime Commission, 2013–2014. (2015). Illicit drug data report 32.
Coyne, J., White, V. & Alvarez, C. (2015). Methamphetamine: focusing Australia’s National Ice
Strategy on the Problem not the Symptoms. Special Report.
Queensland Government. (2017). Ways to Combat Ice Addiction in Queensland: Department of
the Premier and Cabinet. Discussion Paper.