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I
am one of thousands of relatives who have taken a deep
personal interest in the recent Drug Conference. My
grandson, a very fine talented young man (28 years old)
developed a drug habit in his early twenties. He came
to realise what damage it was doing to him and what
distress he was causing his family and, after a (most
expensive) detoxification treatment, stopped being a
user.
Just
before Xmas, his beloved grandfather, who had been like
a father to him, died of cancer. He came to Sydney and
stayed with me for some months until, much to his pleasure,
he was able to get a unit at Bondi. His father, who
died when he was 10 years old, was an academic who had
written a number of books. My grandson obtained a degree
in Communications and he was a talented writer with
an extensive knowledge of world affairs. His life's
ambition was to become a journalist.
He
applied for a cadetship at the Sydney Morning Herald
and was invited to sit for an exam. He was greatly encouraged
by comments on his success in this which meant that
he was short-listed for an interview. He understood
from speaking to a member of Fairfax staff after this
interview that he was not accepted. He was extremely
disappointed. He made many other unsuccessful attempts
to get a job.
Apparently
he started again to use drugs. But soon, anxious to
overcome the habit, he went to a detoxification hospital
where he stayed until Thursday 20 May.
His
mother went to visit him on Friday and found that he
had left the hospital. Later, we were informed by the
Police that he had been found dead in his car . . .
possibly from an overdose. Whether the drugs he used
were impure or stronger than usual, we do not know.
But we do know that despite his difficulties and disappointments,
he was enjoying life, he was thrilled with his new unit
and had a warm circle of very good friends. His death
was not deliberate. The death of this honest, caring
lovable young person is a terrible waste. He was mourned
by more than 150 people of young and old who were at
his funeral.
We
believe that if he had been able to go a safe injection
room with access to informed advice, he would not have
died. We also think that if a kit by which the quality
of the drug being taken could be assessed was available,
many good young people who had been seduced by the drug
dealers would be saved.
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