Oz youngsters using illegal drug ice

Melbourne, Aug 4 : Most youngsters Down Under are experimenting with illegal drug ice as they find it glamorous, warn senior police officials.

With the drug abuse posing a huge threat to kids as young as 12, cops have decided to initiate an anti-ice campaign targeting children aged 12 to 18.

As part of the campaign, a drug and alcohol expert would inform girls and boys about the ill effects of drug use.

The expert would tell girls that the drug can ruin their appearance, with sores developing from use.

Older teen boys would be told that drug use could impair erectile function.

The campaign, to be held this week in inner-city Redfern, has also roped in sports stars to explain about the effect on performance in sports field.

The forum, scheduled to take place on August 6, will be hosted by Deputy Police Commissioner and anti-ice campaigner Dave Owens.

Owens said that the police had information that children as young as 12 were using the drug.

"They just see it as trendy because people talk about it," Daily Telegraph quoted him as saying

"Unfortunately, they glamorise it, but there's nothing glamorous about losing your teeth and your hair, and the sores," he added.

He said that the campaign was initiated after the police discovered that parents did not know what signs of ice use to look for in children at risk.

He revealed that such signs included changes in behaviour, like missing school or misbehaving at school, and outbreaks of physical violence.

ANI