The Australian Federal Police (AFP) launched a new social media campaign on Halloween (31 October) to highlight the real horror of using illicit drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin.
Eastern Commander of Investigations at the AFP, Kirsty Schofield said the AFP’s Have a Conscience campaign outlined how local drug users could be bankrolling drug syndicates responsible for overseas human trafficking and sexual servitude, as well as contributing to significant environmental damage.
“The campaign aims to challenge the perception that cocaine is a harmless drug,” Commander Schofield said.
“It also highlights the lesser known dangers of chronic cocaine use, such as lowering sperm count,” she said.
“The AFP is launching this campaign to remind Australians that their actions, whether it is casual drug or repeated drug use, have significant and devastating consequences”
Commander Schofield said the growing of coca leaf (used to manufacture cocaine) had been linked to Amazon deforestation and chemicals and pesticides were used to protect the crops – “there is no organically or sustainably-farmed cocaine”.
She said human trafficking in Europe and South America could be linked with other forms of organised crime, such as drug trafficking.
“It’s a shocking notion to comprehend, but taking illicit drugs in Australia is potentially bankrolling syndicates that are also responsible for sexual servitude and human trafficking,” she said.
“We want drug users to ask themselves, ‘Is my partying putting other women and children across the globe through horrendous circumstances?’”
Commander Schofield said the AFP campaign also warned that transnational serious organised criminals (TSOC) would change the way Australians lived if demand for illicit drugs was not drastically reduced.
The Commander said illicit drug use made roads and suburbs more dangerous and put the lives of first responders and frontline workers at risk.
“If demand for illicit drugs is not curtailed in Australia, we risk losing what makes Australia one of the safest countries in the world,” she said.
“We do not want to have the corruption issues faced by some other parts of the world,” Commander Schofield said.
Free and confidential advice about alcohol and other drug treatment services can be accessed by calling the National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline on 1800 250 015.
