Spendo, I hate to see you alone out there in cyberspace so I'll respond to your earlier comment. The myth is that the impurities are the cause of the problems. To quote the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre " ecstasy users tended to believe that the drug was safe and that it was impurities in their pills that caused health problems...
But in fact MDMA was usually the most toxic substance in party pills".

MDMA, PMA and amphetamines all have similar lethal dose levels, which incidentally are much higher than those for GHB and ketamine. If "pillreports" really were responsible and objective they would make it clear that all the substances that pass for ecstasy are very dangerous and there is no such thing as a safe tablet.

Anyway, I dont think the toxicity is the real point, the main issue is what these things can do to the mental health of some users.

Lethal dose or LD50 actually works in reverse i.e. the amount of substance per body weight. Arsenic would have a small number compared to salt i.e. small amount of arsenic per bod yweight compared to larger amount of salt compared to body weight.
More effective to point out that amphetamine has the same LD50 as roundup.
Apart from that, I reckon the issues are separate with regard to mental health and drug addiction.
But not totally, like politics and economics.

Mental Illness and the relationship it has to crime is critical.

Recently I was one of the many who put an innovative multi-level social development proposal for crime prevention, to the National Government, in round one. This project aims to integrate a regional "community development" plan, through micro-activities-development, among other things, into the present service delivery framework. The plan is long-term and works to engage the whole regional community.

Local Council and the School approved of the plan. At ground level we had real support, by those who want utilise such a program.The thing that amazed us is how difficult it is to dialogue respectfully with either Qld Health and the Police. Their lack of response to locals who suggest projects is nullifying, yet the National office insists you form solid partnerships with local enties. They offer no assistance, nor feedback, on how you might engage.

Cape York as you may be aware is highly isolated and needs Mental Health and Crime Prevention activity projects urgently.

My point here is, I found from the National office that there were some $20 million dollors worth of projects submitted (in round one) BUT the office only allocated 4million.

My view is that this is work done by "goodwilling Australians" for the "wellbeing of Australia". I believe $20 million dollors worth of project ideas, is possibly a sum that can be equated somehow as a value of the "social capital" potential designed by Australians for Australians in the areas of Crime Prevention.

Given that Mental Health in many areas overlaps, and is not seperate to the overal focus on "cause" of social ill, I advocate that $4 million is not a serious figure and reflects how the government inflates terror campaignes on the one hand but responds with piece-meal strategies at the core of the problem. Frankly I feel the whole national campaign on crime is an insult to Australians symbolising no more than a media propaganda. It is inter-related with issues in Mental Health and combined with the governments lack of response, is wearing down the heart and soul of our culture.

Spendocrat “But I digress. I’ve had much experience with people with depression, manic depression and even schizophrenia, and I can tell you right now, if drugs are on the list of causes, they’re way down the list after things like abuse and persecution.”

I too have some experience of same. I know that drugs do have a significant effect.

On the good side, I know one manic depressive who medicates by doctors instruction to stay “sane” and avoid suicide.

Similarly, I know of a treatable case of mild paranoia which has been “self-medicated” and enhanced in to full on heroin dependency with associated side effects including imprisonment.

Illicit drugs and drugs of questionable origin and dubious content do devastating damage to the entire body, brain not excepted.

Perseus– The “music industry” as a cause for drug abuses, rubbish.
Marijuana, morphine, heroin and cocaine were deemed illegal when the only recorded music was on wax cylinders.

Kalweb – your post – “They wanted me to fix everything - but they did not was to take any responsibility for their very poor relationship with their child.”
A terrifying picture

Similarly, I know the prisons in my state (and I suggest every state) work at removing drugs (against the odds and criminal determination of the inmates) from the prisoners metabolism but the moment they are “out” and able to find it – drugs are again the overriding priority.

Ultimately, having spent the last decade or so emptying and decommissioning the old asylums and madhouses, I figure we will be opening and expanding them. The last thing we want are psychotic loonies running around out of control and wreaking havoc on the drug free majority.

People suggest prisons are not the right place but
Where is the ”right place” for a drug crazed psychotic with self induced schizophrenia, who contributes nothing and demands everything?

As Kalweb stated “they did not was to take any responsibility”.

No one else is obliged to take responsibility either and there are far better causes deserving of “human compassion” than that of the self-inflicted.