Around 8pm on January 30, 2015, the body of, Dean Shields, 17, Maitland, was identified next to a drain in the Hunter Valley Region of NSW. According to a SMH report just hours before he died, Dean used synthetic cannabis known as ‘Chronic’ or ‘Kronic’, which police believe was directly related to the teenager’s death.…

US researchers are urging the World Health Organisation (WHO) to take action against the mosquito-borne virus, Zika. Transmitted by the mosquito, Aedes albopictus, the Zika virus has been linked to thousands of birth defects in Brazil, and continues to spread throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.1 The virus is said to cause microcephaly in children…

Victorian labourer, rigger and recovering addict, Mark, 30, Ocean Grove, began dabbling in drugs at a young age.  By 12 years of age, he was smoking cigarettes. A year later, he was smoking marijuana. Influenced by many older kids at school, Mark soon began experimenting with other illicit substances, and by                    15 years of age,…

Long-term government employee and dog lover, Kylie, 43, Perth was the antithesis of a “party-girl.” She didn’t smoke, drink heavily or use illicit substances. In 2010, however, Kylie, who was living with kidney failure, and a collapsed lung filled with fluid, was hospitalised, and treated with codeine and opioids, including oxycodone to numb her pain.…

At 13 years of age she has smoked marijuana, and by 14 years of age, was comfortable “having a drink”.Mother-of-two, Clinical Support Officer and recovering addict, Nicole, 36, Tweed Heads was tinkering with illicit drugs and alcohol during early adolescence. Nicole first dabbled with amphetamines at 18 years of age, and following her first hit,…