By BRIDGET SCOTT
A DRUG forum held in Narre Warren last week confronted its guests with frightening facts about ice and urged the local community to assist police in the fight to end the local plague.
Last Wednesday 11 March, representatives from sporting clubs throughout the City of Casey gathered for a drug forum aimed at helping people come up with an official drug policy for their respective clubs.
Around 50 people turned out for the forum led by the Australian Drug Foundation, which urged people to become part of the Good Sports Program.
Geoff Munro, National Policy manager for the Australian Drug Foundation was a guest speaker at the event and urged people to create a policy as a way of prevention.
He said sporting clubs provided a protective environment, with local coaches often acting as a mentor to those they were in charge of.
“The most important person in the club is the coach,” he said.
“The coach sets the standard, but so do we all.”
He said a drug policy was invaluable and was a formal statement which provided guidelines for people at the club which could act as a deterrent from drug use.
Local Inspector and area commander Paul Breen also spoke at the event and asked guests and the wider community to help police stop the spread of ice.
“People look at police and say what are you doing about it, but what is everyone else doing about it,” he asked.
“We are not winning the fight.”
“It’s prevalent.”
Peter Wearn, drug expert and director of YSAS also spoke at the forum and gave the audience an insight into the reality of the drug and the effect it has on users.
Mr Wearn explained that ice causes the “flooding and release” of people’s own chemicals into the brain and described it as “pleasure at a price.”
“It creeps up on people and deregulates their emotional response,” he said.
“It compromises people’s ability to think normally.”
The forum was one of many held throughout Victoria, with some local sporting clubs already part of the Good Sports Program.
