Lost

[Stephen Whiteside]

Before I started prescribing methadone back in the 80s I assumed that drug use and poverty went hand in hand. I was quite shocked to discover that many of my patients were the children of wealthy businessmen, even celebrities. The only explanation I could put up was that some people become so consumed with the desire to make vast amounts of money that they don't have time for parenting. Perhaps their parents were the same. It can become a vicious cycle, as we all know.

I remember one poor fellow who came in with the story that he had received a massive inheritance, and blown it all on heroin in about six weeks. His main complaint was severe constipation, a result of the heroin.

It's one thing to legalise drugs, but who's going to sell the needles? I can't see Coles or Woolies taking that on, and unless you make the needles as freely available as the drugs, you haven't really achieved anything.

[Terry]

You wonder if there is an answer to it don't you and with all the evidence out there on the effects of drugs - why do people use them?

Then again so many of their hero's, the musical groups and pop stars are for ever in the news over drugs, yet we accept that as the norm for some reason.

Good poem Bob

Terry

[Stephen Whiteside]

My impression was that most of the people who used heroin habitually had abnormal personalities, and often also had mental health issues. I'm not so sure about the so-called 'party drugs', though.

Australia is actually quite unusual in the degree to which we've taken to needles. Smoking heroin is pretty common in Europe, but very much a minority activity in Australia.

[David J Delaney]

Not just politicitans & the rich abuse their status, I never saw my school mate again after this night, even though I spent a couple of weeks looking for him.....

Valley of Sin 1970


cigarette lighter glow
dirty spoon
glint from the pick
nursing my friend
as the demon drug takes hold.

suddenly
into this valley lane way
a stranger walks.

semi-conscious
my friend panics
HELP! HELP ME RUN!!!
arm in arm
we stagger and stumble,
trying to run.

the stranger’s attention turns to others

beneath an overpass we rest
silhouetted by street light

"cop?" I ask
"no! trainee white collar
after young flesh
in the name of god
– bastards!"
he drifts into sleep

I leave in morning darkness,
never again will I see my friend.

David J Delaney
06/01/2013 ©