While speaking to an old mate of mine who recently 'pulled the pin', he reckons one of the greatest issues confronting our Justice System is that, of the proliferation of the drug 'ICE'; it's ready availability, and relatively low costs in purchasing the stuff.

While I was still working, I didn't have much to do with the drug, therefore my only knowledge is from the 'scuttlebutt' I'd pick up around the Station. What I did see however was the end result of the physical effects the drug can have, on those who uses and abuse it. Numerous holes being punched through interior walls, as well as the number of coppers and/or victims who happen to fall foul of an 'ICE' user. Notwithstanding the amount of carnage that's been occasioned on our roads and freeways, by drug affected drivers.

Personally I've always contended you can't 'arrest' yourself out of these Drug epidemics, despite what the official policy might be. It takes all of those who are stakeholders in the suppression of illicit drugs, to come on board. And to a certain extent, with most drugs they have and with some minor successes as well. But apparently; not with ICE, I wonder why? Can anyone of you good people offer an opinion? I might hasten to add - everyone's opinion counts, nobody is either completely right nor totally wrong. Surely someone must have an idea what next should done?

O sung wo.

The problem WE have with ice users, is self made.

In the end, controlling bad behaviour, which extends into breaking the law, must be treated as a law and order issue.

The police are given that role for very good reasons.

The main reason given by history, is to prevent the citizenry from taking the law into their own hands, and seeking vengeance on transgressors. Exacting personal vengeance, is a huge step towards anarchy.

The police are the keepers not only of the peace, but they watch over the civilising processes of society.

Now we get near the meat of the matter.

My observation is, we must stop making the perpetrators into victims. You do the crime, you do the time, is a brilliantly simple mantra!

The simple answer is, do as the Americans do, build more prisons. Ice users need to be extracted from our society, and incarcerated in places where their addiction problems can be dealt with economically and sensibly.

Rodrigo Duterte springs to mind, as an extreme example of what I allude to, by specifying a perpetrator is what a perpetrator is: one thing he isn't, is a victim!

I think we could reduce the problem to some extent by applying the Darwin principle.

We could waste ambulance paramedic & hospital time just once on treating the idiots who over dose on drugs, but once should be it.

Having saved them from their stupidity at our expense the first time, that should be the end. If they are stupid enough to do it again, we should leave them where they lie, & let nature take it's course.

I gather some druggies are on first name terms with emergency staff, they see them so often. No society needs or should have to be responsible for such people.

Hi there DIVER DAN...

Thank you for responding to, what I think is a topic that hasn't encouraged much interest. As I indicated in my opening remarks, my time in the Job, I've had little to do with ICE addicts or those who provide the constituents to mfg. ICE. That said I've had a bit more activity with Heroin.

I tend to agree with you, it's your responsibility for what you put in your mouth. Rarely if ever, a user is held down and forcibly imbued with it. We can blame peer pressure, even reasons of experimentation as well, to a certain extent, but I don't personally support that notion either. Only 'you' can determine what you ingest, smoke or inject etc. For this reason, I agree with you, the 'victim' description is hardly tenable in my view.

Again you're right, the police are the 'keepers' of the Queens Peace. Only keepers of a style of 'Peace' that's influenced and regulated by our Political Masters. If our politicians declare 'ICE' users are victims, then victims they are. The Commissioner can only direct his police members to treat drug users in accordance with what policy the Police Minister determines. If a directive comes down, informing detectives to take a more arbitrary line with users, well police can deliver in accordance with that directive.

Believe it or not my friend, I do agree with much of what you say - Build more gaols to accommodate and treat, ICE and other drug users. But when our Pollie's see the costs of such initiatives, well who knows?.

Many thanks DIVER DAN for 'kick-starting' this failing topic.

Hi there HASBEEN Ol' friend...

Seemingly you're of the same opinion as DIVER DAN another contributor who believes in the delivery of natural justice. Trouble is you're both right? Why than have our political masters not jumped on board and started taking tougher action at the 'user end' as well as the supplier. As I said at the outset I've not had much experience with ICE, Heroin was my caper when I was in the job. From what I've heard since, ICE is far more dangerous to everybody, more so than the big H will ever be.

You're saying, one chance only, no if's or but's, you bugger-up that one chance, then you're on your 'Pat Malone' and let nature take her course? Tough no doubt, but something I couldn't mount a viable argument in opposition too it?

My mate further opined, this ICE epidemic is probably one of the most fearful drug outbreaks, GD uniform's (first responding police) have needed to confront in many years, some claiming it's even more worrying than that of even a terrorist incident? Emmmm, thats worthy of another entirely different discussion I reckon? Mainly because of the inability of police/paramedics/nursing staff, being able to physically contain/restrain them - Even going so far as suggesting an ordinary room be modified, into a 'padded cell' arrangement, at all major public hospitals, whenever a violent ICE addict is brought in for treatment.

Hard to argue against reality I guess. Thanks a lot HASBEEN, I appreciate your contribution.

Prosecuting the end user is not the answer. This weeks arrest of three Australians in Serbia suspected of being part of an international drug-smuggling group that tried to bring more than a tonne of cocaine into Sydney last year, is good news in the fight against drugs. This type of arrest does more to curtail the vile drug trade that the arrest of a thousand addicts.
Not only does America have the biggest prison population of drug users, it also has more dealers on the streets than any other comparable country, hardly a solution to an epidermic. Hard fist'd laws targeting the end user, are expensive to enforce and fail to deter drug use. The big stick should be used against those involved in the trade, against the dealers and the Mr Bigs when caught. Education can help, but far more has to be done to rehabilitate the addicted.