Penalties increased in Qld?

[Al B. Fuct]

This one appeared a few weeks ago. Maybe there's more to a bong ban than meets the lungs:

 

Government moves to ban bongs

 

May 16, 2007 - 11:54AM

 

The federal government wants to ban the sale of bongs in a move some states say is a smokescreen for a reluctance to force tougher rules on tobacco companies.

 

Canberra was accused of using the ban on bongs, used for smoking marijuana, as an ambush tactic at Wednesday's Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy meeting in Adelaide.

 

The states wanted the federal government to commit to ensuring disclosure of ingredients on tobacco products, but received only an assurance of a feasibility study into the idea.

 

Instead, the commonwealth pushed forward investigations into banning the sale, importation and advertising of bongs and products made for cannabis use.

 

"The commonwealth's ban the bong campaign is a little bit of tricky politics," NSW Health Minister Reba Meagher said.

 

"It's really designed to disguise the fact they have refused to embrace the call from the states to require tobacco companies to release the list of products that go into making cigarettes, it's designed to take away attention from that."

 

But federal Ageing Minister and council member Christopher Pyne said disclosing ingredients of cigarette contents presented potential problems.

 

"The commonwealth has a preference for the listing of ingredients on tobacco products as long as it is feasible to do so," Mr Pyne said.

 

"And as long as it doesn't leave open the possibility of legal liability or undermine a very strong message that every cigarette does you damage - we'd hate to have people saying they have had a look at the ingredients and these cigarettes are better for them than other kinds of cigarettes.

 

"So the commonwealth has agreed to go forward with a feasibility study. Our preference is to provide consumers with as much information as possible."

 

Mr Pyne said initiating action about potentially banning bongs was "a great step forward".

 

© 2007 AAP

[Al B. Fuct]

Mate, I'm shocked! Blu Tack to seal up the pipe? Have we becomesolazy with store bought bongs now days we've lost the art of blowing a well sealed pipe?without the need for accessories.

 

c'mon man, do a good job first time.Take some pride in that orchy bong .

 

Mate, I always fuck up the hole while trying to get the hose angle right. Has to be some weird ellipsoidal shape to fit the hose in correctly. Invariably, I get it wrong and go looking for BluTack.

[Al B. Fuct]

You know, I think one of us should get on to Marg Wenham, armed with the following information from her bio:

Marg worked previously for long stints at the Queensland Law Society and as a paralegal in north Queensland.

 

One thing that isn't widely known is that, while working for a few years in the aviation industry, she tried to learn to fly a helicopter.

 

Two things happened which fostered a suspicion that being a chopper pilot might not be such a good idea.

 

One was that the instructor too easily

convinced her she had to taste-test Avgas

for water contamination as part of the pre-flight inspections (much to the guffaws of the on-looking, worded-up engineers). Another was that the instructor used to pull her intercom jack so he wasn't deafened by her screams during simulated emergencies.

 

She reckons she better pilots a computer keyboard from a comfy ergonomic swivel chair.

 

(bold emphasis mine)

 

Seems there's a streak of gullibility in Ms Wenham.... Pretty clearly, the QLD Health Minister was able to put one over on her, without her doing much questioning or research... and this woman gets press awards in QLD? You guys still swap stone tablets and scrolls of papyrus around up that way?

[Al B. Fuct]

Seen the comments attached to the silly bong ban story?

 

Latest Comments:

 

So how many health dept employes and how much time was spent for this 30s grab. Lunch is over get back to work.

Posted by: ken of kamira 2:00pm July 12, 2007

 

Now people will just use the garden hose and a soft drink bottle, not just the cheapskates. And there's always a joint. And I don't support drugs either.

Posted by: Adj of 12:52pm July 12, 2007

 

Oh how wonderful. Nice bit of spin. Now fix the damn hospitals.

Posted by: Qld population of 11:55am July 12, 2007

 

You may want to raid Carrara Markets they are full of them .....

Posted by: asproella of merrimac 7:28am July 12, 2007

 

...and I didn't write any one of those.

[67Special]

Mate, I always fuck up the hole while trying to get the hose angle right. Has to be some weird ellipsoidal shape to fit the hose in correctly. Invariably, I get it wrong and go looking for BluTack.

 

Oh for fucks sake Al, do we need to do a 'plastic bong' tutorial for ya

 

Use a lighter to melt a hole that's a bit smaller than your hose, then force the hose in while the hole is still hot & soft

Perfect seal every time

 

I'll be posting one to the senator before the week's out. Got any other pollies that could do well to observe just how stupid these laws are?

 

I think I'll have to send one to Garret as well, considering he would've forgotten how to make one since he hasn't toked since his 20's ...lying cunt he is

 

 

[bufo marinus]

Hey good idea Al hehe.

If anyone has been fingerprinted I'd be a little careful of prints on the bong, parcel etc.

Also don't go sending any 'used' bongs lmao, I'd guess there would be hell to pay for sending a Minister drugs, albeit burnt remains lmao

I'll get my daughter to make me one. I have quite a few sets of my prints in their possession

[Al B. Fuct]

bufo, good point... no used stuff!

 

A more competent letter could be drafted... I'm a fairly good wordsmith, will have a crack at it later today. Got other stuff to do this AM.

 

Proforma letters are not taken with the same amount of weight by politicians. All you intending to send a 'bong kit' should add a letter with your own (reasonable, non-accusatory) commentary to make sure they know these were not all sent from one person.

 

A wipedown with methylated spirit removes all fingerprints and cannabis residues. Just wear some cheep rubber gloves when assembling your 'care' package to the Senator.

 

I think it's a valid and reasonable protest. The strongest point is that the bong ban increases harm by forcing users to the home-made temporary paraphernalia, just when the Sydney MSIC just got a 4-year approval extension. It might be in Sydney, but it's REAL harm-minimisation in action as official govt policy- and it bloody well works.

 

Nothing unsafe or threatening about an empty, clean bottle, a bit of hose and some alfoil. This style of homemade bong is an Australian speciality. The lighter trick is a great one. I wasn't raised here, so all you true-blue cobbers could post some more hints about making these that I might add to the 'instruction sheet.'

 

If you guys are serious, it'd be great if we could get 20-30 kits to the senator's mailroom and a few to the Courier-Mail (and maybe other news ops i.e. ABC as this is a national issue, with Pyne's recent federal level bong-ban putsch) to make sure the press is hip to the trip. The pols will just bin them and tell no one.

 

I don't want to drag OSA into it but the press for sure will want a person to follow up with when these things go out. Someone will have to answer those queries. Being a fmr newsie, I think I'd do OK with that job. Would bang up a new name and Gmail address for the purpose. I don't mind unless someone else wants to have a go.

 

thorts?

[Indycar]

Knock yaself out Al.

 

To be honest i believe, we know and the pollie's know. This isn't going to stop stoners from smoking MJ. It's a smoke screen for the beattie government and just so happens, it affect stoners. They don't give a rat's arse. Simply because the new legislation doesn't affect them.

 

This latest bong ban stemmed from Peter Beattie dropping into Surfers during schoolie's week last year, and seen the "Off Ya Tree" outlet, openly displaying and selling ice pipe's. The wanker's of OYT ran a special that week and had the shit everywhere. No doubt, Mr Beattie seen that, and prolly thought it'd make a good time filler instead of addressin' real issues in Qld, and so this new crackdown was born.

 

I seen this coming, and made like a good boy scout and was prepared (bought 3 bongs and bits 'n piece's and buried them at various locations) . A lot laughed it off and said Qld Gov wouldn't be able to do it...

 

I'm all out of ideas. But sending homemade bongs to the minister and/or courier-mail would flatout being a blip on the radar, i feel. I can't speak nor wish to for OSA. But I wish you well Al.

 

[pipeman]

I don't think that harm minimisation is a real strong argument in relation to these laws and its not really the same as needle exchange programs. With needles we are talking about infection and disease, doesn't really apply to bongs. and besides, if you're serious about harm minimisation you vapourise or ingest anyway. smoking implements should be irrelavent.

[Al B. Fuct]

Sure, HIV is a lot greater risk than inhaling burning plastic smoke, no doubt. On the same page with you, pipeman.

 

However, this govt claims to be behind HM policies- and forcing cannabis users to use inferior, arguably dangerous cannabis paraphernalia by banning safe implements is no different at all than forcing IDUs to use dirty syringes. Forcing cannabis users to employ less safe smoking means is definitely not harm minimisation.

 

Banning 'ice' pipes has the similar effect of forcing users to use makeshift smoking widgets, usually out of a section of broken glass tubing, which results in sharp ends which can cut users' lips and make Hep C transmission possible.