Toni:

On what factual investigation are you basing your statement
"That we now know that alcohol is more dangerous than "Ice"?"

Alcohol has been around virtually forever, consequently
imbibers of the many and varied forms of Alcoholic drinks
have learned to drink sensibly or suffer the physical and mental
consequences in over indulgence.

The majority of people, even those with half a brain, generally
realize when alcohol is getting the better of them, and moderate
their intake accordingly.

Some people imbibe and over-indulge, to escape a genuine or
perceived problem in their lives,....an escape that is
unfortunately only temporary, thus when sober and in the
light of a new day, the budding alcoholic, embarks yet again
into the perceived comfort zone and again over-indulges, thus
we have a budding Alcoholic!

Alcoholism is simply a weakness of will power, as is the
gambling addiction, whereas the use of Methamphetamines is
savagely addictive, particularly in young people who are
so easily "conned" into trying it, observing peer group activity
similar to "smoking behind the toilet block at school!"

From my own experiences with victims of "Ice", the first sign
of usage is temporary mental confusion and "the hearing of voices"
This is to be taken as a warning as the first step in the
downward plunge into "Ice" addiction, and investigation is
needed but with caution, as the budding addict will
totally deny usage, and may appear to be okay the next day,
however, the supplier will be not far away, waiting to make
another quick sale!

I reckon what police and health authorities are worried about is that we are the tipping point, immediately before the incidence of 'ice' health effects and other social problems from its use overtake the available police, hospital and other helping agencies.

What are the resource and opportunity costs to ambulance, police and ED (hospital) of just one injured and difficult to manage 'ice' admission? -By opportunity I mean that the ambulance etc are not available to be used elsewhere.

One rampaging drug freak causes chaos in an ED, affecting other cases as well.

There is already ramping of ambulances outside hospital EDs.

If 'ice' usage is a media 'myth' why are organised gangs importing and making kilograms of the product?

I acknowledge what CRACKCUP has opined in the last sentence of his last paragraph '...the supplier will not be far away, waiting to make another quick sale...' ? Therein lies the trouble ? You no longer lockup a seller, of any illicit substance, and the magistrate will cut him loose with a stern talking too ?

To obtain any really meaningful custodial sentence from the current crop of the existing 'left learning' judiciary, needs to amount to an offence tantamount, to high treason ! Remove the pushers from the streetscape for six months or so, will invariably slow the supply source down significantly.

Still I've bleated about the flawed justice system for so long now, what's the use ? Until the judiciary collectively all grow a large pair of 'b..ls', nothing will ever change.

For a start I wouldnt be putting too much faith in the 'National Drug Household Survey' which shows a reduction in use, unless you have faith in the honesty of drug users.
To explain the rise of meth/ice use in 2014, they suggest 'a reflection of police arrest priorities, and by targeting amphetamine users the percentage of detainees testing positive will go up.'This is an unusual opinion. I dont know about 'arrest priorities 'or' targeting amphetamine users', Its more likely that the users made themselves a target, you have to be arrested for something before being drug tested.
Calling it as it is 'ice epidemic' is in no way sensationalizing drug use and need not be ignored. The media 'demonizing drug users' suppliers, pushers and enablers is totally acceptable.

o sung wu,

The good citizens of SEQld are fed up. One of the very first priorities of new Labor Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk MP is to deep six the highly successful anti-bikie initiatives of previous LNP Premier Campbell Newman.

Campbell Newman, a Duntroon military graduate, is the only Premier Qld has seen who was not scared into compliance by the thugs of the criminal gangs, including the outlaw motorcycle gangs. -Particularly the Mafia and Middle Eastern Gangs that are the gift(sic) of the 'diversity-Australia-has-to-have'.

OTB,

In German, the word 'gift' can also mean po'ison'.

Toni,

You suggest, quite reasonably, that ' .... whether you think alcohol or ice is more harmful depends on whether you're persuaded more by the figures, or by sensationalist media reports, anecdote and emotive arguments short on facts.'

Reasonable but irrelevant: both are scourges, it's not either/or. And if we bring it down to the individual level - an individual who's had too much to drink, vs. an individual who's taken ice, who do you reckon might do the most damage to other people ? I would respectfully suggest that the 1 % of us who have used ice in the last twelve months, compared to the 60 % of us who have used alcohol in the last twelve months, that ice has given grog a pretty good run for our money in terms of damage.

I guess we'll see what damage both of them are wreaking in Aboriginal settlements in due course, won't we ?

Joe