The kids are not all right in world of drug pitfalls

Schoolies should not go for more than three days because by then, many kids are burnt out already, says drug and alcohol educator Paul Dillon. And that’s just the start of his blunt message for parents on the traps that lie ahead.

GOLD Coast, we’re doing Schoolies wrong.

And it’s putting our children at risk.

That’s the message from Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia director and founder Paul Dillon as the city prepares to welcome tens of thousands of school-leavers from around the country in just two weeks time.

It’s not that we don’t have enough accommodation, entertainment or security … in fact, it’s the opposite. Paul, one of the country’s most respected drug and alcohol educators, says a seven-day festival is simply too much for the students to handle. And he says too much time on their hands means they’re more likely to indulge in dangerous behaviours.

“In South Australia and Western Australia, Schoolies is three nights – and that’s exactly what it should be,” says Paul, who visits more than 200 schools across the country every year to educate and raise awareness among students regarding the risks of drugs and alcohol.

“On the Gold Coast the only booking option is for a full week package. It’s too much. A week is a long time for anyone to flat-out party. It’s too much time to experiment with risky behaviours, it’s too much time away from home and up all night, which is when we see kids really burn out emotionally, mentally and physically.

“Besides, so many of them have run out of money by the Wednesday and ring their parents either to get a flight home or to get more money.

“But it’s a business and there is money to be made – which is why we probably won’t see shorter packages offered.

“I will say the Gold Coast has embraced the Schoolies festival and I think mostly they handle safety very well. Plus there is a lot for the kids to do if they can afford to do it. There are some great organisers and lots of safety nets. It’s a much better environment than what it used to be.

“Parents will always worry about it however, and with good cause. It’s a volatile mix, which is why I think we need to limit the students’ exposure.”

Paul, who has also worked extensively with the Australian Cricketers Association, the Rugby Union Players Association and the Football Federation of Australia, says he is particularly worried about drug fatalities this Schoolies season, with MDMA use skyrocketing in students.

He says new research shows that for 15-year-olds, one in 20 have tried ecstasy, while that number jumps to one in 10 for 17-year-old girls and one in six for 17-year-old boys.

“That is a dramatic jump in usage,” he says. “I believe this season will be a scary one. Given the deaths we had last year, I would be very surprised if we don’t see a number this season.

“The UK last year recorded its highest number of ecstasyrelated deaths – 92 were killed in 2018, that’s up from 56 in 2017. That’s almost two per week. It’s alarming. I’ve been working in the ecstasy scene for 30 years. What I’m seeing around the normalisation of MDMA for kids this year is really worrying.

“You are 15 and taking drugs … where do you go from there? That’s the part that frightens me.

“Young people have this belief that it’s harmless, they don’t respect the drug. All kids do dumb things but this is really becoming widespread.

“Parents are adding to the problem in some ways by over-stating the dangers – then their children don’t trust them. The truth is most people are not going to die if they use MDMA, but how do you know it won’t be you? You don’t.

“I walk a knife’s edge every day trying to be honest with kids, but not end up on the front page for being too explicit.”

Paul says the biggest challenge is catching kids before they try MDMA.

He says the drug and alcohol landscape has changed so much in recent years that it is difficult to adapt strategies to suit the teen brain.

“When I talk to kids about the risks of drugs, I can tell them all the risks … but if they’ve already tried it, I’m going up against what they consider to be one of the best nights of their lives,” he says.

“Plus, they’ve survived so they think they’re bullet-proof.

“It’s a new era and I’m constantly trying to think of ways to talk to teens that are relatable and meaningful to the way their brains work.

“When it comes to alcohol, I have my strategies down and they are proving effective. The challenge is that we are constantly seeing new trends in illicit substances – like poppers.

“It’s not about just giving them information but presenting it in a way that is going to be effective in keeping them safe.”

Paul says while he believes there is a place for pill-testing – it’s not at Schoolies. Not yet anyway.

He says the best method for parents to prevent their children from harm is through communication and involvement.

“When I looked at that figure of one in 20 kids who are just 15 years old using MDMA, I was really outraged,” he says.

“Where were their parents? There is no way they wouldn’t know their child was high unless they hadn’t seen them – and why haven’t they seen them? Why are 15-year-olds wandering around all weekend and their parents don’t know where they are?

“They are 15. You drop them off somewhere and you pick them up. You check in regularly. These are still kids.

“Relying on pill-testing to keep our kids safe does not work on its own. Yes, in some settings, it can help – but Schoolies is not the right place for that right now.

“The fact of the matter is that pill-testing can tell you what is in that pill, but not what it will do to your body.

“Everybody will be affected in a different way when they use a drug and it’s likely they will be affected in a different way each time they choose to use it.

“People who have died after taking a pill were not the only ones who used that drug, many others did and they didn’t die. Many deaths can best be explained by ‘bad luck’ – they had a tragic reaction to that drug on that day.”

Paul says parents should also devise family drug and alcohol strategies as early as possible, ideally when children turned 12 years old.

He says alcohol strategies in particular can be tricky due to mixed messaging.

“I think it’s important to have a plan early, to communicate it when your

children are young and not questioning it, and stick with it,” he says.

“It’s no use coming up with rules once the first high school party invitations start coming.

“Unfortunately, there’s no one-plan-fits-all for families. On the one hand, we know that delaying that first drink for as long as you can is vital.

“But we also know that first drink should be with you, with a meal, in your own home environment. Asking parents to balance both of those priorities, while the kids are being asked to parties where alcohol is present from Year 10 – it’s tough to navigate.

“Only you can make the choice around your child’s drinking. Get the best information that you can and follow your heart. It doesn’t matter what their friends or your relatives do or say.

“If you want to ‘teach your child to drink’, do it in your own home. I just can’t believe the number of parents who host parties for their 15-yearold kids and provide alcohol. It’s shameful. Not to mention it’s illegal.

“The saddest part is that so many parents believe that when they provide alcohol at a party, they’re protecting kids. They say it’s better for them to drink at a party with adults present than to sneak out to a park.

“But of the 13 schools I’ve visited where students have died from drinking – and most were in Year 10 – not one died in a park. They were all at a party where the parents either provided or condoned alcohol.

“Those parents have to live with the consequences. Most have not been able to forgive themselves. They are not bad people, they were pressured by their kids and made a bad decision. As a parent you must stick to your guns.”

Paul says while the number of children who drink has dropped dramatically, those who do drink often drink to excess. In 1999, one in 10 children aged 12-17 years had never consumed alcohol, while that figure is now one in three.

“For one thing, nondrinking has social value now.

“That certainly didn’t happen when I was younger. It’s a trickle-down effect from designated driver strategies.

“There’s also interesting research from Europe, what they call the Ab Fab effect. Kids don’t want to be like their parents – like Saffy felt about Patsy and Edina in Absolutely

Fabulous.

“But it’s also things like better parent education, kids are more socially aware and the advent of social media. How many times do older generations say they’re glad Facebook didn’t exist when they were 18?

“The interesting thing is that there used to be three categories of kids: those who drink, those who don’t and those who sometimes do and sometimes don’t. We’ve lost that last category. The kids are all or nothing. And when it’s ‘all’, it’s a lot.”

When kids made mistakes, the lines of communication should open, not close. But he said too many parents avoided uncomfortable conversations about what to do if something goes wrong, and it created not just anxiety but dangerous environments for teens.

“There’s a simple question you can ask your child before they even leave the house: why should I not be worried?

“It makes them assess their safety strategies. Too often we have situations where schools are asked to pseudo-parent. The adults leave the difficult topics to the teachers, but that’s not enough information.

“We need to teach our kids how to look after a friend who has drunk too much, when to call triple 0, and to let them know that they can call us anytime, anywhere, no questions asked. It doesn’t matter if they have breached the family rules. Their safety is paramount. If they know you are there for them, the risk of danger is so much less.”

Only you can make the choice around your child’s drinking