FDS Insight Magazine Jun - Sep 2023

2 ACT government providing funding for families affected by drug addiction Kerem Doruk, Canberra Times (24/2/23) Tony Trimingham lost his son to a heroin overdose when the laws around drug addiction in Australia did little to support drug-affected families. Picture: Karleen Minney hen Tony Trimingham and Marion McConnell discovered their sons were struggling with heroin addiction they were shunned by the law and had nowhere to turn for help. Mr Trimingham’s 23-year-old son Damien died on this day 26 years ago from a drug overdose. In the 18 months that Damien had been using drugs, Mr Trimingham found there were no real support services for his son and family. Damien died just 12 months later. ‘There was no real support for families, I was hitting brick walls,’ he said. ‘When I was looking for help, I couldn’t find it. I would like to think Damien was the sort of person who eventually would have found his way out of his troubles. When someone passes, there’s no, there’s no hope, of course.’ Since Damien’s death 26 years ago, more than 20,000 people have died from drug overdoses. The ACT government has announced the establishment of a new service for families who have been affected by drug use. Mr Trimingham’s organisation Family Drug Support will be administering the 12-month pilot program launched by Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith which will include face-to-face, online education and support for families. Fearing police intimidation and unnecessary laws that punish people for taking drugs and leaving their families without adequate support, Mr Trimingham and Ms McConnell have spent the last 20 years trying to change these laws. W