Illicit Drug Use

If you are thinking about using illicit drugs during your schoolies break, here are some things you should know:

• Possessing, trafficking or consuming illicit drugs is against the law and drug offences attract serious penalties. Trafficking includes selling or giving drugs to others free of charge.
• Illicit drugs have no manufacturing controls - you don't know what you're getting and you can never be sure of the effects.
• There are serious harms associated with taking illicit drugs. The effects of any drug vary from person to person depending on an individuals size, weight, mental & pysical health, how much is taken, purity and what other drugs are also taken. They can cause panic, anxiety and loss of control. They can also make you physically sick (including hallucinations, vomiting, seizures and loss of consciousness) and in some cases cause death.
• Drug use can leave you vulnerable to sexual assault or other crimes.
• Stimulant drugs like speed and ecstasy speed up your central nervous system and can cause you to become over-confident, aggressive, violent and even psychotic.
• Stimulant drugs can cause your body temperature to rise to dangerous levels, sometimes resulting in seizures and death.
• It is dangerous and illegal to drive under the influence of marijuana and other illicit drugs. Drug driving testing is taking place in Victoria now and severe penalties apply.
• Combining drugs and alcohol further heightens the risks.
• Many employers perform criminal history checks and a drug conviction may affect your employability.
• Many countries won't issue travel visas to people with drug-related convictions.