• Young people currently have access to drugs in an unregulated environment. The 2023 National Drug Strategy Household Survey of Australia found that 19% of respondents aged 14-19 had recently used illicit drugs.
• The drugs that young people currently use are not subject to any reliable controls. The latest Illicit Drug Data Report found that heroin purity ranged between 29.1% and 64.5%, creating a massive risk of overdose.
• The drugs supplied by the black market are often contaminated and of unknown strength. For example, novel synthetic drugs like nitazenes have been found in cocaine, MDMA, and ketamine, increasing the danger as users may be unaware of their high potency or even their presence.
• To obtain drugs, children engage with a criminal subculture, where they may be vulnerable to other forms of risk, or encouraged to escalate their drug use.
• Criminalisation at an early age can have a profound effect on a young person’s life, affecting self-esteem and future opportunities.
• We would all prefer to see young people avoid drugs altogether, but the reality right now is that if they do choose to experiment, they do so in the riskiest possible circumstances.