For those who are interested or want evidence based facts on the benefits or drawbacks look at the Scandanavian model on Heroin regulation. Also Australia already has opiate based regulated drug programs. It's called the 'Methadone'. This drug is very addictive, yet very effective for opiate users maintaining a normal lifestyle.

If you think Ben Cousins should be punished. What about parents who feed their own kids with amphetamines. Teachers will tell you it's overused and abused with their students (the teachers I know anyway).

For those who are interested or want evidence based facts on the benefits or drawbacks look at the Scandanavian model on Heroin regulation. Also Australia already has opiate based regulated drug programs. It's called the 'Methadone'. This drug is very addictive, yet very effective for opiate users maintaining a normal lifestyle.

If you think Ben Cousins should be punished. What about parents who feed their own kids with amphetamines. Teachers will tell you it's overused and abused with their students (the teachers I know anyway).

Sorry gidon, I had given up on this post but feel compelled to respond to your post to correct some misunderstandings.

The 'Scandanavian Model' you talk about is questionable. On the one hand we have Sweden which takes a punitive approach to illicit drug use and employs a model of compulsory treatment. This has resulted in many illicit drug users moving to other countries - an export industry if you like. Denmark, on the other hand, is looking to set up regulated cafes where cannabis can be purchased - a bit like what happens in the Netherlands (although that is under threat ATM). I'm interested to see how OUR Princess Mary and her relatives feel about this.

As for methadone - we also have other pharmacotherapies in Australia such as naltrexone which is a combination opiate agonist/antagonist formula designed to reduce some of the undesirable features of methadone treatment. It has shown to be effective for some users, but not all. Australian drug treatment experts are still pushing for a heroin maintenance trial (which has proven very successful in Switzerland and Germany) but continues to face political opposition from the conservatives.

Unfortunately in this country, and others, the politics of evidence outweighs evidence based policy and users and their families continue to suffer.

Less than 24 hours to go! GO DEES!

if you have a spare 45 min this doco is pretty sobering, set in sydney

Four Corners - The ice age

if you have a spare 45 min this doco is pretty sobering, set in sydney

Four Corners - The ice age

Interesting stuff. Scary what ice can do to people.

Unfortunately the last 4 audio is screwed up. Bill Gates strikes again.

I read an article updating the Cousins situation today. Demetriou says the AFL players association have been in contact with Cousins a few times of late but that he has refused their help on all occasions. Also after his arrest he went straight to the local brothel, wouldn't agree on a price and left.

As part of research I have been doing over the last few years I have had the privilege to interview several people who are widely recognised in Australia (and the rest of the world) as some of the leading thinkers in harmful substance use.

These 'experts' have been working for many years, in some cases decades, in this field and admitted there is no easy answer to the harms caused by 'ice'. They had never seen such a harmful drug in their experience and were concerned with the unpredictable behaviour frequently displayed by problematic users.

They were hopeful that trials of substitute pharmacotherapies might prove effective - but such trials take years.

It's all too hard!

. Also after his arrest he went straight to the local brothel, wouldn't agree on a price and left.

Father of the year .

Father of the year .

An ornament to the game.

Tassie Devil. I'm not sure what misunderstandings your referring to. I'm also not sure what experts your referring to either? The AOD field is complex with many differing programs as you seem to already know about. The fact is that there is no 'one size fits all' program for this very complex issue

The Victorian judicial system also has non custodial mandatory treatment sentencing too. I don't see this as a conservative approach. Diversion programs can be very beneficial for some.

Far out, yeap again... 

13gs of meth along with breaking his family violence order.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/western-australia/ben-cousins-in-court-again-on-new-drug-charges-20180822-p4zyy3.html

Very sad. What a great player he was, one of the best I've seen. Not sure how he drags himself out of it though?

Bloody hell, what a sad fall for someone who was so talented, so successful, and seemingly had everything.

He just can't seem to get it together, even with so many people on his side trying to help. Feel sorry for his family.

7 minutes ago, SFebes said:

Very sad. What a great player he was, one of the best I've seen. Not sure how he drags himself out of it though?

I think he is too far gone, there were rumblings earlier this year of positive steps and being at the Eagles again. Being on that sh it for so long I just don't know if you could pull yourself out of that hole. 

If ever you needed a reason not to do drugs, I present to you Ben Cousins... a progression of time

He went from an 11 to a 1

Very sad. Interestingly his doco came through on my youtube page last night. I watched about 30 mins of it. 

The Drug took him a long time ago, he can’t live outside anymore, even if he wants to and tries really hard. 

The drug has got him

Edited August 22, 20187 yr by Sir Why You Little

So sad to hear that. That drug is one of the vilest, most disgusting things on this planet.

He's gone.

Very sad to hear, awesome player in his prime.

Heartbreaking for his parents.

Really sad. Was such an inspirational player. A living testimony to the culture of the eagles at the time. Yes Ben is responsible for his own life but so many people in power over there also have a hand in his current state. He was Captain of an AFL premiership side FFS. So sad. 

In a related topic..Caro ( dont we love her) in the age podcast yesterday said that what Melb did re tanking was " as bad as what EFC did"  and it bothered her to see Jimmys statue outside the G. I  wanted to explode. When I heard the cousins story today and thought about drugs in sport in general I couldnt help but reflect on the stupidty of her comments,. Why am I even surprised though?! 

3 hours ago, SFebes said:

Very sad. What a great player he was, one of the best I've seen. Not sure how he drags himself out of it though?

Being addicted is a very hard thing to overcome. 

Its really sad to hear this has happened and I feel for his family too. His family would be suffering massively too. 

Hope he finds his way through this and comes out the other side. 

Edited August 22, 20187 yr by DemonOX

24 minutes ago, Wells 11 said:

 

In a related topic..Caro ( dont we love her) in the age podcast yesterday said that what Melb did re tanking was " as bad as what EFC did"  and it bothered her to see Jimmys statue outside the G. I  wanted to explode. When I heard the cousins story today and thought about drugs in sport in general I couldnt help but reflect on the stupidty of her comments,. Why am I even surprised though?! 

Wow!! Really?? Wilson absolutely hates the MFC, sad she is able to vent such personal vendettas on the club when the main protagonist was moved on about 5 years ago. 

Across the board Drug Cheating with no visible records kept > Resting a few players and moving positions

Frank Underwood to you Caroline 

1 hour ago, Wells 11 said:

 

In a related topic..Caro ( dont we love her) in the age podcast yesterday said that what Melb did re tanking was " as bad as what EFC did"  and it bothered her to see Jimmys statue outside the G.

If she said that she is just a b-tch. Jimmy through Reach, did an amazing amount of good work for the community and was a trailblazing Irish footballer, who won a Brownlow and holds the record for consecutive games, often playing through serious injury.

He is also not alive and unable to defend himself, not that he needs to.

Comparing trying to get a PP, which many have admitted to doing, with injecting unknown drugs into players.

Disgusting comment.

Edited August 22, 20187 yr by Redleg

On 3/28/2012 at 4:02 PM, hardtack said:

No we are not surprised, but he is definitely not "dumb", but rather messed up as are most people with drug related issues. A little compassion wouldn't go astray (although if the sell and supply charges stick, I might reassess that).

Ice is a serious issue and can often be close to home. Yes his decision to take it was dumb but now it is about trying to stop it. 7 years is considered the time required to get clean. Thoughts with him and family, no matter ones personal stance on cousins or drugs, it is not something I would wish on anyone.

6 minutes ago, Redleg said:

If   she said that she is just a b-tch. Jimmy through Reach, did an amazing amount of good work for the community and was a trailblazing Irish footballer, who won a Brownlow and holds the record for consecutive games, often playing through serious injury.

  18.40 into the podcast on the 20th. I can’t post it as it’s protected. Pretty low I thought. To be clear What she said re statue was “ he deserves it as a player but not as a president” after saying what we did was as bad comparable to EFC.

As someone who fought this battle as a teenager and won, I sincerely hope he can break through. Problem is, it appears he doesn't even want to, so what can you do really. 

Maybe the media could give it a rest and let him kill himself in peace perhaps.