He may be innocent, and we should remember that. It may be a stitch up, and we should be mindful of that. But if the truth is that ABC reporter Peter Lloyd is an ‘ice' user then part of me feels, as harsh as this sounds, that he may have caught himself a lucky break with his arrest in Singapore.

So far there's plenty of shock but seemingly very little sympathy regarding the circumstances he finds himself in. Most comments reflect what nearly all are thinking, if he is guilty, how could such an experienced reporter be so stupid as to have drugs in Singapore of all places?

Dumb, just dumb.

But that's what ‘ice' does. It causes good people to do dumb things. It is an ugly drug that has ugly consequences for those who wind up in its grip.

It destroys promising lives.

I have seen a mate succumb. He is one of the funniest blokes you'd ever meet. He's smart, well read and has a heart of gold. He cares for his friends, loves his family and is wonderful company. In other words, he is a decent, funny wonderful human being.

Until ‘ice'.

It was a ‘cool' party drug, part of the scene he occasionally mixed in.

He dabbled.

Then it went beyond dabble. Not injecting but smoking - a little, then a little more, then a lot.

He reckoned he had it under control, a part of his life he kept to himself and thought he could keep secret. But ultimately he couldn't control it. It controlled him.

He is best friends with a girl friend of mine. One night they met for drinks. He was manic, fearfully so. His mood swung violently. His words that night to her were cruel and made with cruel intent. He was her friend but no longer the friend she knew.

A week or so later he apologised and then broke down. What had started as casual use was now anything but. To feed his growing need he was spending money he didn't have. He was in debt but worse than that he was scared, scared of what was happening to him.

Rehab followed. It wasn't easy, in fact it was brutal, but it was successful. He's now getting on with his life.

He was dragged close to the vortex but not all the way in. God he's lucky.

And so might Peter Lloyd be. By all accounts he's a decent bloke. He's got kids and he has a future, however bleak it might look right now.

The barbarity of the corporal punishment, the caning, is not something I would wish on anyone. And the possible twenty year sentence is absurd. I hope he's spared.

I hope he's innocent.

Most of all I hope that the promise of a promising life is not extinguished. Jail won't do that, ‘ice' will.

In Australia too many lives have been destroyed by this awful drug.