Sunday 28 August 2011

And in the End...

And in the end, the love you take ... is equal to the love you make.
-The Beatles

This is the last line from the intended last song on the last album recorded by the Beatles.

And this is also the end of The Australian Heroin Diaries.

My journey is over now that I have achieved what I set out to do. I no longer use heroin and have a dwindling interest in our drug policy set out by silly politicians. It is a new chapter in my life that involves a new location, a new attitude, a new start and possible even a new love interest.

I have learned a lot since I first started this site back in 2007. I have also met some inspirational people who kept me writing day after day. But, in the end, what has changed? 

There is a slow but steady change in attitude building throughout the world. The constant barrage of scientific data and quantified research is chipping away at the misconceptions that been pounded into our psyche for the last 100 years. The constant reminder of a failed drug war is taking hold as society starts to question why the problem only ever gets worse. The current scrutiny of the Murdoch empire is finally raising awareness about the incredible power that the trash media can wield, ultimately influencing governments in their drug policies. Ex presidents, ex prime ministers and some brave politicians are starting to take a stand and speak out against the draconian drug laws that are wreaking so much havoc and carnage throughout the world. Social commentators and editorial writers are speaking like never before. Yes, many things have changed and attitudes are still evolving albeit, very slowly.

Unfortunately though, there still remains many groups and individuals who refuse to accept the science and facts. These largely ideologically driven protagonists are often driven by a force much more powerful than facts and research. They formulate many of their views from religious faith which in itself is just a personal conviction with no evidence or facts. Faith has no place in a field like drug policy which is a medical issue and needs to be based on cold, hard evidence. If anything, someone who has faith in a loving god should practice what they preach. Banging up drug addicts in jail or ruining their lives is as hypocritical as it gets.

I need to thank so many people for a variety of reasons but it would require several pages to list them all. Although I received some criticism and nasty comments, the bulk of readers have offered nothing but support. It has been an emotional journey for me and as corny as it sounds, I could not have gone on for so long without the incredible kindness of so many people. 

Thanks to:
Paul Gallagher(Firesnake)
Ant Rogenous
Gledwood
Bron
Michael Gormly(Kings Cross Times)
Paul Dessauer
Puja from Mumbai
Bob Affenhaus
Zoot
Michelle(The Red Pill Survival Guide)
Dave Gaukroger(Dave From Albury/Pure Poison)
Greg Iverson
Tonia Suzanne Zoldosh
Maureen Jo Begley
The Happy Revolutionary(THR)
Guy Ferguson
Tory Shepherd
Mr Ghostface
John(Pins Grins and Sins)
Naomi(Junky Life Naomi)
Fiona Patten
Sandra Kanck
Andrew Bartlett
Kerry Wolf
Dr. James Rowe
Gino Vumbaca
Tony Trimingham(Family Drug Support )
Nicholas Cowdery
Mark O'Brien
Jason
RV
Clarencegirl
Long Time Anon Poster
Reb(Gutter Trash)
Mr. Orange
SickGirl(Methadone Pretty)
Christians Against Prohibition
Kieran Bennett
Donna Weiss Kloppenburg
Ross Sharp (The Wittiest Writer on the blogosphere) 
Ben Pobjie
Michael Slezak(Good Bad and Bogus)
Grods Corp
Jeremy Sear
Scott Bridges
Bridget Gread
Cosmic Jester
Weez(Machinegun Keyboard)
Jim Brown(On Probation Blog)
Stonetree Harm Reduction
Marginalutility (The Virtues Of Vice)
We Speak Methadone (Forum)
Kat Daley
James(Australian Drug Blog)
David Nentwig
Marion & Brian McConnell(Families and Friends for Drug Law Reform)
Free Schapelle Campaign Group
Nigel Brunsdon(Injecting Advice)
Matt Gleeson(Stonetree Harm Reduction)
Monica Barratt
Interfaith Drug Policy Initiative
JUNKe Life(Opiated)
Mina
Roguevert
Jack Dorf
Leon Bertrand
The Irish Needle Exchange Forum
William(With Just A Hint Of Mayhem)
Caty
Donna
Broken
Canna Zine News
My groovy friends at the Bluelight Drug Forums
Canadian Spades
New Zealand Drug Foundation
RMIT
Why We Protest
Canna Nation
Jane Shelling
Leah McLeod
Sue Miers
Gary Gahan
Jan Steele
Annie Madden(AIVL)
Jon Markus
Rob(Inn@Six)
Steve Robinson
Rob Marsh
Andy(Slack Bastard)
Ileum(OzPolitik)
Sam Liebelt(AIVL)
The 7pm Project
Blogotariat
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) Australia
Losing In The Lucky Country(blog)
Civil Tongues(blog)
Alan Ide(New Australia)
The National Library of Australia
All Treatment
OZ Stoners(forum)
Johnny Mortgage
Ken Low
Heads Together - The AOD Collective
Rich Bowden(The Angle)
Daniel
Jesus PTY LTD
Gary Toca
Shane(Memoirs of a Heroinhead)
National Library of Australia
New Matilda
Sam Sejavka
Sarah(The Voice of Today's Apathetic Youth)
Mikey(HarrangueMan)
Crikey/Pure Poison
Tobias Ziegler
Toaf
Private Tom
Bruce(Thinkers Podium)
Darryl Mason(The Orstrahyun)
and of course Anonymous who posted so many comments.

A special thanks to Mrs Wright for putting up with me for so long. I will love this woman forever and she will remain an important part of my life.

Also, a special thanks to my family, especially my father who encouraged and supported me unconditionally. Thanks Dad.

If I have left anyone out, you know who you are.

31 comments:

Slim said...

Well done and thanks for blog! The future sounds bright. All the best with it.

zoot said...

So long Terry, and thanks for all the honesty.
Wishing you all the best for the future.

Bron said...

Hey Terry, this blog has been one of the best blogs ever! So full of information and different ideas, a lot of "what the fuck are they thinking?!" and a lot of "If only we had the guts to overhaul our criminal system and ceased the bullshit war on drugs". Lots of sighs and a lot of laughs.

I'm so happy to hear you're doing well (and ooooh a possible love interest? I so need the details! Sorry I'm such a girl!). We'll be in touch via email, alrighty?

Take care and best wishes.
Bron xxx

Jason said...

Thank you for all your work Terry. I am sad to see you go but glad to hear that things are working out for you. All the best in your future endeavours. Jason

clarencegirl said...

Way to go! Will miss your voice in the blogosphere.

Bob Affenhaus said...

G'day Terry,

Sorry to see that you're shutting up shop.

Drop me a line if you're ever in Brisbane with a spare Sunday arv.

I think I probably owe you a beer for all the time you've kept me reading.

Take care mate.

thr said...

Thanks for the blogging, and all the best for the future.

Anonymous said...

All the best, Terry.

Jim Brown said...

Very best wishes for the future!

Cheers,

Jim

Anonymous said...

3yr anon commentator here. Thanks for everything u have said, the raw emotion you convey in your words eminates through the words on the screen as if we were having a conversation directly. While i am sad and will miss your wit, i think its important for your future that you close this chapter of your life and move forward and more on...

Drug policy moves slowly, but i think you should be proud that one day, when sanity returns to the world, that your voice was apart of the movement.

All the best.

Ant Rogenous said...

Yours has been a wonderful contribution to the bloggosphere (sic), and you can retire very proud of it. Take care, Comprade!

Terry Wright said...

WOW! Thanks everyone.

Zoot, you have been around the interwebs for quite a while now and I have admired many of your comments on various blogs. This makes your support even more valuable.

Bron. What can I say? Thank you so much for your wonderful emails over the years. Always a laugh that brightened my day. And yes, we must stay in touch!

Thanks Jason, Clarencegirl and 3yr Anon Commentator. It's those like you, the regular readers that kept this blog going so long. I owe it to you guys.

Bob. it's a deal. If I ever get back to Brisbane, we will have beers! Thanks.

THR. We had some fun in the Grods era and beyond. I always loved the way you think and your keen eye for observation. Thanks mate for everything.

Jim. Thanks for linking to my blog and help getting my message out. I admire what your trying to do.

Ant Rogenous. What a guy! You defended me constantly against ultra right nutjobs and the likes of Tim Blair etc. I never forgot that. Thanks for so much support!

And thanks to Slim and the anons.

Anonymous said...

I'm very proud of you Terry and always will be. You opened my eyes and I am now a better person for knowing you. Our lives have hit a crossroad and even though we are going in different directions we will always have each other. You are my best friend.
Mrs Wright

Stone Tree said...

Hi Terry,

It is our loss that you will be no longer writing the blog. I wish you well on your future adventures. Just one small note though in the interests of truth in the media:)

I do not work for Injecting Advice - not that it would be bad if I did.

Cheers

Matt Gleeson a.k.a. Stonetree Harm Reduction

Ken said...

Thank you very much for your blog and frank articles Terry, and best wishes for your future! Take care.

Gingerbread House said...

TERRY! I only just saw this post! Firstly, I want to say that you have to do what is right for you.

Secondly, as has already been noted here by so many, The Australian Heroin Diaries has been a unique and invaluable resource in the debate about drug law reform in Australia.

Few people in the world display the courage and tenacity that you have displayed in order to fight for what they believe in. Yet, for the sanity and happiness of those, like yourself, who do, it is only fair for the torch to be passed on every so-often.

May you find all the peace and wonder that you deserve. Should you ever feel a need to return, you will doubtlessly return to an audience of those of us grateful for the work which you have so unselfishly undertaken for so long.

It bears repeating once more that your blog does make a difference in such a needlessly long and hard struggle for our society. Thank you for your wonderful contributions!

xxx T

tronica said...

Terry, you've been a champion for the harm reduction and drug law reform cause. I wish you all the best in this new stage of your life. I'll be missing your blog, but some good things have to come to an end so other good things can start :)

Anonymous said...

Do you want to stop using Heroin out of interest?

Or is just the usual prohibition stop affecting the usage?

Just wondering as before you were so keen on it as an antidepressant
xx

Great site btw

Felix McKenzie said...

I'm sorry I left it so long before checking your blog out. I could give the usual junkie excuses (mum died, PC held hostage at repair shop for cash I'd rather spend on gear), but really I've been slack.
It's not my place to tell you to keep writing, but I do feel I have the right to remind you that your site is rare, and a central point that the junk disenfranchised can rally around. I was always impressed at the level of reporting on this site. Who will carry the torch now? Who will remind us that we're not alone, and that Aus junk legislation is not helping those it should?
I am happy that things are going well for you. And I know it's not your responsibility to fight on for something you're trying to leave behind. So I hope that your patience and wisdom will inspire me to get my act together and do some interesting things with www.junkie.com.au (blatant plug) - don't bother looking now, the site's been untouched (apart from my using calendar) since said PC crash, but I would like to make the site a junkie blog site - let any user who wants to, create an account and write their little opiate-ridden hearts out.
So best of luck, and remember that the actions you took whilst publishing your blog will resonate for years to come.
Guy Ferguson
www.junkie.com.au

Kathryn Daley said...

Hiya Terry,

I am a bit behind on all things Internet, and have only just seen this now.

It's certainly a loss that this blog lives no longer; but your reasons for moving on are entirely understandable.

I am glad things are starting to look up for you. All the very best, and thank you. Take care,
Kat

Gingerbread House said...

Terry, I attempted to post about three weeks ago but for whatever reason, my post seems to not have taken.

I really wanted to thank you for your selfless and invaluable contributions to the area of drug policy reform via the 'diaries'. Your story and insights are of the nature that society needs to hear about more often.

You have been brave to write and publish this blog over the past several years. It is a loss to the field of drug law reform and treatment that you are no longer posting. However, you have left a treasure chest of links and information on the 'diaries' that will be relevant for many years to come.

I am delighted to read that you have moved on in life. Something as valuable as the diaries cannot be meaningfully maintained forever by a single person. I thank you most sincerely for your selfless contribution and wish you the best for your future Terry.

"You're not the 1st person who was ever confused & frightened & even sickened by human behavior.You're by no means alone on that score.Many have been just as troubled morally & spiritually as you are right now.Happily,some of them kept records of their troubles.You'll learn from them-if you want to.Someday,if you have something to offer,someone will learn from you.It's a beautiful reciprocal arrangement.And it isn't education.It's history.It's poetry"-J.D. Salinger,The Catcher in The Rye

Joaquim Santos said...

I love this song, in fact i love that 2nd side medley a lot.
thanks for reminding of the beatles and how i used to love them.

Maureen said...

Terry, Just got my laptop fixed & see that you are ending your writings.
As you, I too am starting a new chapter in my life.
I will keep in touch though, good luck.
Many Blessings,
Maureen

Anonymous said...

Another nail in the coffin of the Grods Corp Alumni, and bloging (sic) in general.

Thanks for all the great posts and thoughtful discussions Terry.

Regards,

A. Nonymous.

Gledwood said...

Akh why do you have to end it. Keep going, keep going!! Write an Australian Not On Heroin Diaries!!

use once an destroy said...

Good luck brother.

I have my own blog if you want to check it out.

I hope youll subscribe. Ive gotten a lot of good reviews on it although my grammar is terrible. If you want to read about smuggling, street life in Detroit or other worldly drug stories check out Junky Says, you can Google it or just go here.

http://junkysays.blogspot.com/

I havent really gotten to read what you have but I will.

Pigpen

Gledwood said...

aKH why did you have to go

have a merry xmas anyway and a happy 2012

Discount pharmacy said...

Terry You Are Rock.. keep moving on :-)

Andrew C. Bairnsfather said...

Hi Terry, like others here, sorry you’re turning your skills away from ending this horrific war (at least in the obvious way), but I am glad for you in that you are satisfied you have triumphed in your pressing and immediate goals.

I wish I had the ability to write so much so well as you.

And I REALLY wish we could talk so I could pick your brain, I have so many questions.

If you are ever up for a face-to-face or audio-only chat you know how to contact me! I will make a way.

Take care,
Drew

Anonymous said...

For a new drug user blog check out

freedoms blog of life and drugs on planet earth

see you all there

smackhead said...

nice one brother
closet-junkie101.blogspot.com