Violence in our Community

Alcohol is one of the main causes of domestic violence in Victorian homes, in 2005alone, there were 28,854 cases reported to police, an average of 2400 per month. A higher statistic than the previous year and one that is predicted to further increase by the end of the next financial year.

Assistant Police Commissioner, Leigh Gassner, said there was a dramatic peak in December and the beginning of the New Year, "clearly perpetrators are not getting the message that violence is unacceptable" Mary Noseda of Women Domestic Violence Services. said "It's around family times when people aren't at work and there's too much alcohol.." and "it was impossible to get help for every female victim of violence " Mr. Gassner said At the end of the day we wouldn't be accepting this in the street, we shouldn't accept it in the home.

At this point in time there are no statistics available relating to the alcohol induced violence within the wider community. However, almost daily we hear, read and see on TVs the violence, death and destruction with in our community caused by alcohol abuse. These figures are nothing new, this has been going on for such a long time that our society today is obvious to the facts, and has excepted that this is a normal way to live in Australia.

We see our sporting stars, community leaders, members of Parliament, Premiers and our Prime Minister John Howard, consuming and at times promoting alcohol use. This indicating to all, that alcohol is excepted as being OK to consume.
In the 1960s a small part of our society began to change their habits and recreation needs turned to using a herb substance "pot" or "grass" more commonly known today as Marijuana or Cannabis. as an alternative to alcohol for recreation hours. Today thousands of Victorians consume cannabis on a regular basis.

The Australian Government Department of Health National Drug Strategy series No.25 states "The major motive for the widespread recreational use of cannabis is the experience of a subjective "high" an altered state of consciousness which is characterised by emotional changes, such as mild euphoria and relaxation... When used in a social setting, the "high" is often accompanied by infectious laughter, talkativeness, and increased sociability"

Victorian Police, and health departments records for cannabis use relating to violence in the home or within the wider community is limited, to a degree of inconsequential value, It would within reason to claim cannabis use suppresses violence in the user, the home and the community. However. there is reported violence by retailers and cultivators of cannabis, When the homes have been raided and robbed by persons unknown, Cannabis is an illegal substance, Alcohol is a legal drug,

Conclusion. Man made beer, God made grass, whom should we put our trust in?
Les McDonald Founder, BeBuyBac