SUNDAY is International Overdose Awareness Day, a cause close to the heart of Capalaba MP Steve Davies.
As a teen, Mr Davies experimented with illicit and prescription drugs.
But now the MP, who is chair of the parliamentary finance committee, wants to teens to know the dangers of toying with drugs and drug abuse.
“My struggles with drug addiction as a teenager and my journey to sobriety are well documented,” he said.
“But since getting clean, I have worked for more than 25 years in high schools across Australia spreading the message.
“I was also one of the original Red Frog workers at Schoolies on the Gold Coast where I have tried to educate and warn young people of the deadly effects of drug use.”
Mr Davies said he was concerned about the rise of use of chemical drugs amongst young people in Redlands.
He said the “entry-level” drugs today were party drugs such as ecstasy, speed and ice or prescription drugs such as Oxcycodone, which is highly addictive.
He said there was also a huge rise in the sue of synthetic drugs, which often contain untested chemicals designed to mimic drugs such as cannabis, LSD and amphetamines.