Our kids must realise this drug is dangerous Salvation Army Major Brendan Nottle is trying to make our streets safer. Picture: Mitch Bear Source: Herald Sun GROWING up in Northcote in the 1960s and '70s, I'd often try to impersonate the cowboy swagger of that greatest Western hero of them all, John Wayne. Little did I know that one day I would be working in a place that resembled the Wild, Wild West. Not a desolate corner of Arizona or New Mexico that Wayne might have roamed, but the streets of Melbourne's CBD late on a Friday or Saturday night. That was 10 years ago. What I saw then resonates with me until to very day. The crack of a skull hitting the pavement and enraged, hysterical screams became as familiar to inner Melbourne as the rattle of our trams. So four years ago, the City of Melbourne and Victoria Police intervened. They realised our city and the lives of some of its citizens were being decimated and it could no longer be tolerated. The police introduced a concept called, Safe Streets, mobilising 125-150 officers every Friday and Saturday night across the CBD. The City of Melbourne and Victoria Police also partnered with the Salvation Army to develop a concept called Youth Street Teams. About 16-20 volunteers and trained staff work in the CBD every Friday and Saturday night from 10.30pm to 5am in teams of four. They engage mostly with young people, ensuring they are safe and caring for those who are drug and/or alcohol-affected. They will often take a young person home if they are unable to find their friends. The Youth Street Teams support is an alternative to police having to lock up someone for being drunk. Recent crime statistics show the CBD's crime rate, including assaults, fell by 3 per cent, contrary to trends in other capital cities in Australia. The initiatives forged by the City of Melbourne and Victoria Police, with licensees, should be applauded. But before we assume the CBD at night resembles Utopia, we need to sober up, in more ways than one. A critical issue has emerged, one that police Superintendent Rod Wilson regards as our most serious policing issue. There have been nights and early mornings where parts of King St have begun to resemble the Wild, Wild West again. A substance has emerged that is a form of the drug GHB, but we are told it is up to 10 times more potent. It costs between $5 and $7 per vial. Some young people are unable to digest the drug because it contains domestic bleach. In other words, it's a poison. Users mix it with orange juice to ensure their body doesn't reject the drug. The impact is often significant. I have seen young people become euphoric and then quickly turn angry before falling into a comatose state. Or they may lose control of their bladder as their head, arms and legs thrash wildly. It is sickening to watch. Some assume people using the drug are hardened addicts, but often they are not. They are simply good kids who have come in from the suburbs for a night out - but some end up in hospital. We do what we can to ensure the safety of users, but I can't avoid an overwhelming feeling, as a 16- or 17-year-old loses consciousness, that my face might be the last they see. We need your help. This is not a police or council matter but a major concern for the entire community. Parents and grandparents, encourage your children and grandchildren to enjoy hanging out with their mates, but tell them to always, always stick together and look out for each other. Teachers, educate your students about the dangers of experimenting with the latest drug. GHB and its offshoots have the power to kill, without question. Venue owners, many of you are responsible and call the paramedics as soon as a young person overdoses. We need to make sure that is the immediate response of all venue owners. Venue security, if anyone looks like they are dealing in your venue, call the police. To manufacturers and dealers, you are potentially dealers in death. Surely you don't want the blood of a kid on your hands? My plea is simple: let us all do our bit to prevent the death of an innocent young person on our city streets or venues. Major Brendan Nottle is commanding officer of The Salvation Army in Melbourne