Study Ranks Mental Health as Young People's Top Health Problem

The summary of the report does not mention illicit drug use as a contributing factor. Those who work in the courts see a daily cavalcade of young offenders who have made themselves psychotic and unemployable through drug use. Many have children for whom they cannot provide, the burden falling on the grandparents.

It is an epidemic here in Australia and throughout the western world. It is time to get tough on drugs at every stage of the process, from traffickers to users and those in the entertainment industry who glamorise drug use. We need to stop treating self-indulgent addicts as victims, impose rehabilitation on them and get them into jobs. There will be an immediate improvement in mental health if people are occupied in meaningful work. We must act now.

Older Aussie 8:03PM June 07, 2011