Save our kids: call for services to treat drug addiction and the establishment of a NSW detox facility

Both attended the progressive Newtown School of Performing Arts in the late 1990s. Drug use in their circle of friends was rampant. William's hero was the famed jazz musician Charles Mingus, a prolific drug user.

Some years later, Robin died of suspected drug overdose. The final verdict unclear.

William has been living with schizophrenia since leaving school before finishing year 12, due to experiencing psychosis from smoking hydroponic dope.

William's father, Dr Robbie Lloyd, said the family has had a "generations-long predilection" to addiction.

"William was always predestined to be vulnerable if he went down that path," Dr Lloyd said.

In spite of living with schizophrenia William is a "talented poet, artist, musician, singer and source of creative ideas for many friends" according to his father.

I see large numbers of young people who are traumatised, often from domestic and family violence, sexual abuse, you name it, and they have started picking up pain relief right from primary school.

Dr Robbie Lloyd

It was his son's experience with drug use that motivated Dr Lloyd to work tirelessly with young people with drug and alcohol issues in the Port Macquarie-Hastings area.

Dr Lloyd is the community relationships and well-being manager at the Mid North Coast Community College in Port Macquarie.

"Some people can use appropriately but for most people there are substance misuses which end up in them overdoing it, and they become addicted, drink to oblivion, bong to oblivion," he said.

Dr Lloyd said William's story is not unique.

He sees significant issues with drugs and alcohol for young people in the area.

"I see large numbers of young people who are traumatised, often from domestic and family violence, sexual abuse, you name it and they have started picking up pain relief right from primary school," he said.

"That is not coping, that is not handling life. By the time they are in years 9 and 10 they are already addicted. Many live with dysfunctional families or they are couch surfing trying to escape abusive situations so picking up pain relief is an understandable choice."

The final report by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Sexual Abuse highlighted many victims developed addictions after using alcohol or drugs to manage the psychological trauma of sexual abuse.

Drug of choice

What's the drug of choice for young people?

"Whatever they can get their hands on," Dr Lloyd says frankly. "Dope is a major one and ice is certainly on the market."

In 2016, the North Coast Primary Health Network had the second highest rate in Australia for people aged 14 years or older who used at least one of 16 illicit drugs in the previous 12 months (22.8%), compared to the NSW rate (14%) and the Australian rate (15.6%).

One mother told the Port News her son's ice addiction had destroyed her. She had a nervous breakdown from the stress.

It started with dope when he was at school. Then he wanted a bigger hit. He turned to ice. Trouble with the law predictably followed.

The son was sent to rehab on the Central Coast as part of his bail condition only to return to Port Macquarie over Christmas one year and fall into old patterns of using.

"I'm a broken woman," she said starkly. For her there is no way out. Her only child.

Dr Lloyd is calling on the government to invest in a Recovery College for Port Macquarie, Kempsey and Coffs Harbour, which would become a pilot for the whole of rural and regional NSW. It would combine health clinicians in mental health, alcohol and other drugs, along with community education.

"We need governments, state and federal, to do much more about this problem, which is society-wide," he said.

"They should be doing more to invest in detox," he said.

Dr Lloyd said there are no specialist juvenile drug and alcohol services in rural and regional NSW.

"We need a network of local under 18 detox and relapse services, where young people can start their recovery and families can regain some sanity," he said.

At present young people are treated in adult services and discharged.

"The Mid North Coast Alcohol and Drug Section does a great job," Dr Lloyd acknowledges. "But they are not funded sufficiently to be able to properly support detox and rehab for young people.

Beyond kids

It's not just kids suffering.

Local woman Debra Armstrong supported a man through a drug addiction. When he finally made a decision to change he was sent to a detox centre in Lismore only to return to Port Macquarie and fall into old habits, albeit with different drugs.

"Eleven days in detox is not enough," she said firmly.

The level of ice in this town is insidious, there are kids as young as eight using it and people in their late 70s still using.

Community Services worker

The deeper issue underlying his addiction was never addressed.

"Drug addiction can be a protection where you are doing something to take your mind off the trauma," Ms Armstrong said.

The man would report to drug and alcohol services in Port Macquarie. He quickly learnt synthetic drugs could not be detected.

Their relationship descended into domestic violence. "Make me a thick shake ****," he would say.

She was concerned he was going to die. In the end she had to save herself and left the relationship.

A naturally caring person Ms Armstrong has started crocheting beanies for the sick in hospital in the absence of the relationship.

Another woman shares of her mother's addiction to prescription medication.

"Mum had so many medications it was insane," she said. "It didn't matter how much I took off her she would just doctor shop and get more."

Local pharmacist Judy Plunkett is urging the state government to introduce a real-time drug prescription monitoring system, similar to Victoria.

When the Port News contacted the NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard there appeared little appetite for one.

A Hastings community services worker told the Port News the "lack of services needs to be addressed".

"If someone wants to commit to rehab they have to leave the area, their family and work (if they have it)," she said.

"Most of the time that means losing their job and it can then lead to the family becoming homeless as they can't afford their rent. We really need to facilities locally as it is already so hard for them to be able to give up."

The worker said there is a a "high level of relapse in the Hastings".

"People can be very firm in their thoughts about giving up but when it is time for the next hit and they are feeling 10 feet tall and bulletproof all views of quitting disappear," the community services worker said.

"The level of ice in this town is insidious, there are kids as young as eight using it and people in their late 70s still using."

Government response

Drug and alcohol programs are resourced by a mixture of state and federal government funding.

State member for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams was contacted for comment for this article. She was unavailable.

The Mid North Coast Local Health District declined to comment but directed the Port News to their drug and alcohol services. Those services include

• Drug & Alcohol counsellors at Community Health Centres
• Opioid Substitution Programs for the management of opioid dependence
• Magistrates' Early Referral into Treatment Program (MERIT), a court diversion program for those with criminal charges and illicit drug issues
• Outpatient withdrawal management for those assessed as suitably supported to withdraw in the community.

Federal member for Cowper Pat Conaghan told the Port News "greater preventative measures need to be taken, such as better education in schools and a strong national advertising campaign".

He acknowledged all the "education and preventative measures" in the world will not stop some from using drugs but points out the federal government provided almost $3.5 million for the North Coast Primary Health Network to lead drug and alcohol treatment services at a regional level in 2019/20.

"The way this funding is distributed is a determination for the North Coast PHN based on the needs of the community," Mr Conaghan said.

State and federal funding has been funnelled towards a full-time and part-time outreach worker in Port Macquarie from The Buttery, a not-for-profit rehab facility in Bangalow in Northern NSW.

Community outreach manager for The Buttery, Frances Pidcock, described the drug issues in the area as "complex".

"The client group that we work with have additional significant needs that impact on their recovery including housing, finances, family unity and the legal system," she said.

She urged the community to have "open conversations". "Stigma and shame are barriers to treatment," she said.

Individual responsibility

Drug addictions are complex. There are no easy answers. Dealers are persistent. And drug intel by police is costly, time-consuming and difficult to prioritise among the growing list of policing demands.

Local man Adam Dean who has worked in the area of addiction through a program called Smart Recovery. He says overcoming addiction can be a long process. But at the heart a person has to want to change.

Mr Dean describes three stages of addiction that need to be addressed: physiological, psychological and social/cultural (when everyone in your social circle uses).

"At the end of the day the person has to admit they have a problem," he said. "And families and friends are ill-equipped to deal with addiction, you need professionals."

Port News