FDS Insight Magazine Jun - Sep 2023

3 It was treated as a criminal offence and I believe that if it had been treated as a health issue, my son could have still been alive today,’ Ms McConnell said. Picture: Karleen Minney ‘There was no support available, it was treated as a criminal offence and I believe that if it had been treated as a health issue, my son could have still been alive today,’ Ms McConnell said. When Ms McConnell looks back at her late son’s life, she remembers all of his outstanding achievements, from gaining a distinction in the Australasian Mathematics Competition to being in the top 9 per cent in the ACT in the Year 12 Certificate. She also remembers the terrible night on the oval when he overdosed on heroin. ‘That was the night I knew our drug laws were unjust and counterproductive. Instead of getting the support and treatment he and his family needed, we were confronted with the strong arm of the law,’ Ms McConnell said. ‘Fearing police hounding him to find out his dealer, he took a hurried holiday, away from the help he needed, and it was then that he overdosed and died alone.’ Ms McConnell and her late husband Brian founded Families and Friends for Drug Law Reform (FFDLR) in 1995 which has been raising awareness and promoting evidence based policies for government. These traumatic events left scars in many families across Australia, especially in Mr Trimingham and Ms McConnell’s cases, and they are welcoming the support by the ACT government. ‘Our families are the ones who fail to bear the brunt of what drugs do. So we don’t ever want to do that. So our task is to listen and support people to get them to look after themselves so that they can effectively look after the person who is using drugs,’ Mr Trimingham said. ‘This announcement is so welcome and will enable us to establish a team in the ACT to deliver our services directly to families affected by alcohol and other drugs.’ Family Drug Support website www.fds.org.au For up-to-date information on support and activities