New coming from the pro-drug treatment organization Recovery Brands has shown the per capita use of various drugs around the world. Perhaps to the surprise of some, Australia ranks highest in ecstasy use per capita among adults, with 3% or 3 in 100 individuals using ecstasy. (This study is different from the one earlier this year that used social media mentions of drugs, which was highly inaccurate.)
In the data, the criteria for ‘use’ is not specified – differences between daily, weekly, monthly or using just once in a year can be staggering, and should be reflected. Results should be taken with a grain of salt.
The study, which also compiled results for cocaine, opiates, cannabis, amphetamines, etc. supposes that Australia’s use of ecstasy ranks as the highest of all nations worldwide. Looking at certain statistics, such as the most recent deaths at Australian festivals in the past three months, that result could certainly be considered valid.
However, some Australian festivals and other entities want to begin implementing ‘drug checking policies’ in opposition to the current Zero Tolerance policy. Like many other first-world countries, Australia’s zero tolerance policy has not resulted in fewer drug deaths or drug abuse, and has actually contributed to increased treatment for drug use. Aside from (oddly enough) Iran, Australia also ranks among the top nations in the world for drug treatment.
Organizations like DanceSafe, Bunk Police, and the Drug Policy Alliance offer their services to promoters and communities who wish to adopt a more tolerant and progressive approach to drug awareness and treatment. However, the stigma against drugs is still so prevalent in many developed countries that there’s little they can do against public perception.
Visit Recovery Brands for the full look at data and analysis.
Now, I actually do want to take a moment to discuss the recent string of drug-related articles on Your EDM.
In normal news media, “ongoing stories” are quite common. You saw examples of them most recently with issues like Benghazi, MH370, the Boston Bombing, etc. In comparison, EDM is very unique in that news pieces are generally one-off announcements, and thus, readers have become accustomed to a certain style of reporting.
As drug use and harm reduction become more galvanizing topics, these issues will come up more frequently and have the potential to create long and “ongoing” stories. As one of the leading dance music publications in operation today, we have a specific voice and reach that lends itself to social issues like drug use. We do not aim to support drug use or decry addicts in any way, only to educate and provide information for our followers and readers.
In doing so, some followers believe that we focus too much on drug topics. We are sorry that you feel this way. However, this is a topic that will make people uncomfortable, and we cannot provide for every reader that might not align themselves with our views.
