Amphetamine users 40 times higher chance of brain lesions: study
Monday September 6, 2010

Amphetamine users 40 times higher chance of brain lesions: study

Monday, September 06, 2010

All too frequently, the Family Law Courts see tragic cases involving the use of drugs. Often those taking drugs deny that they are taking them, or minimise their impact. A recent pilot study, published in the Medical Journal of Australia, undertaken by doctors in Perth has highlighted the risks of taking amphetamines and marijuana. The study shows a 40 times higher chance of amphetamine users ending up with brain lesions than those who did not take drugs.

The study covered 30 users, with an average age of 27,  who took ice, speed or ecstasy. Of the 30 users:

  • 26 used marijuana
  • 23 used ecstasy
  • 16 used ice
  • 9 used speed 
  • the average age they started using amphetamines was 18
  • 6 or 1 in 5 had a brain lesion
  • 23 of the users were serious users and 5 of those had brain abnormalities.

By contrast, another study showed that similar brain abnormalities for people of a similar age occurred for 5 tested in a thousand, or 40 times less.

Stephen Page, Harrington Family Lawyers, Brisbane spage@harringtonfamilylawyers.com 61(7) 3221 9544
Request an Appointment
Fill in the form below to find out if you have a claim.
Request an Appointment - Stephen Page
Things to Read, Watch & Listen
US Birthright Citizenship Challenge: What Australian Surrogacy Parents Need to Know

US Birthright Citizenship Challenge: What It Means for Australian Surrogacy Parents

The US Supreme Court has just heard one of the most consequential cases for international surrogacy in decades—and if you’re an Australian intended parent pursuing surrogacy in the United States, this directly affects you. Stephen Page, Director at Page Provan Family & Fertility Lawyers, breaks down what happened at the Supreme Court hearing in March… Read More »US Birthright Citizenship Challenge: What It Means for Australian Surrogacy Parents

WA Surrogacy Law Update: Nobody Knows When It Starts

WA Surrogacy Law Update: Nobody Knows When it Starts

If you’ve been waiting for Western Australia’s new surrogacy and fertility laws to take effect, you’re not alone—and the honest answer right now is: nobody knows exactly when they will. In this short update, Stephen Page, Director at Page Provan Family & Fertility Lawyers, breaks down where things stand with Western Australia’s Assisted Reproductive Technology… Read More »WA Surrogacy Law Update: Nobody Knows When it Starts

LGBTQ+ Surrogacy and Donation in Australia: Pride, Representation & Fertility Law

Pride is in the Air: When Pride Met Purpose

Sometimes a moment lands in a way that feels more than coincidental. For Stephen Page, Director at Page Provan Family and Fertility Lawyers, that happened on a Sunday in March after speaking at the Growing Families Conference in Melbourne. The conference focused on surrogacy and donation, the two pillars of modern family building for many… Read More »Pride is in the Air: When Pride Met Purpose

Family Law Section Law Council of Australia Award
Member of Queensland law society
Family law Practitioners Association
International Academy of Family Lawyers - IAFL
Mediator Standards Board