ANOTHER police operation, more arrests, and news another drug is killing our kids, our sisters, brothers, mothers and fathers, our neighbours and the men and women down the street.
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It seems we’re in the midst of a drug crisis and despite all efforts of our police to stop the supply, illegal substances are awash in our backyard.
Ice has been dominating the headlines – and rightly so – as it floods communities, spirals crime and fuels addictions.
But just ask our law enforcers, and they will tell you there is another silent killer sweeping the streets.
Barwon police swooped on Monday, after a four month operation, shutting down an alleged supply of the prescribed slow pain release drug, fentanyl.
You could be forgiven if you’ve never heard of it, but its been linked to at least three fatal overdoses in the Moree area alone in just two years, more than 25 close calls, and places like Tamworth have also recorded fatal overdoses too.
Fentanyl is not a party drug, it’s not usually kids getting hooked straight away and probably doesn’t have the “sexy” title that surrounds ice, but what we know is its deadly.
Intelligence suggests dealers are cutting the patches up, and supplying them before users heat it and inject it with vinegar.
Investigators say that is what makes it so dangerous is because it’s not controlled – it’s slow release and it’s up to 100 times more potent than morphine.
It’s a prescription drug, not one cooked in dirty drug houses, but one which our doctors are supplying, and ultimately “patients” are offloading or dealing themselves to desperate addicts to get their drug hit.
Police are concerned about “doctor shopping”, and there are no checks in place to stop it, but we have to ask how so many fentanyl patches are being prescribed, and ultimately ending up in the wrong hands?
But it all boils down to one thing.
When will governments – both state and federal – wake up and realise loved ones are dying because there is no help available in country areas.
The Abbott government is touting its national task force, but no one really knows what it does besides highlight the problem which already exits, and the NSW government has promised three rehabilitation centres on the coast, in Western Sydney and the Illawarra to help addicts.
Neither of these initiatives are helping locals to fight their deadly addictions or fix the problems in our backyard.