Greens cause drug policy furore

[Guest Urbanhog]

Greens cause drug policy furore

 

The NSW Greens have come under fire on two fronts after the coalition locked them out of any preference deal ahead of the upcoming state election and their two MPs questioned whether the police minister was on drugs.

 

The minor party, which is hoping to capitalise on disenchantment with Labor and the Democrats in this month's election, was attacked for its support of legalised heroin for drug addicts and the controlled distribution of ecstasy and speed.

 

The Greens said their plan to allow the medically supervised provision of illegal drugs would save lives and allow the government to regulate drug use in the community.

 

But the announcement was overshadowed in a Greens press conference by the question of whether Police Minister Michael Costa was a drug user.

 

At one point, Greens MP Ian Cohen implored journalists: "Ask people like the police minister, who is full bore on law and order campaigns and prevention of drug use in society, has he used drugs himself?"

 

Fellow MLC Lee Rhiannon then chipped in: "Does he still use drugs?"

 

The question followed Mr Cohen's assertion in state parliament last year that up to one-third of MPs had smoked marijuana in the past.

 

Mr Cohen had then asked Mr Costa to come clean on his drug history but was believed to be the first time the question had been asked without the protection of parliamentary privilege.

 

Pressed on what she was suggesting, Ms Rhiannon responded:

 

"When Ian took it up with him in the NSW parliament he refused to answer," she said.

 

"There's rumours around so we think that that is relevant when you have a police minister who harasses users (with sniffer dogs)."

 

A spokesman for Mr Costa responded as he had when the matter was first raised, saying the minister would be happy to undergo a drug test if all his parliamentary colleagues did the same.

 

Meanwhile, the Liberal and National parties said there was now no chance of the Greens receiving preferences from them.

 

"We say no to free heroin to heroin addicts and we say no to a ludicrous, crazy and dangerously irresponsible plan from the Greens to sell ecstasy over the counter in drug shops in NSW," Opposition Leader John Brogden said.

 

"It's a plan I find personally dangerous and abhorrent. It sends a frightening message to young people in NSW."

 

Mr Brogden challenged Labor to also cancel any preference deal with the Greens.

 

ALP general secretary Eric Roozendaal said no decision had been made on preferences because candidates still had until Thursday to nominate but Premier Bob Carr made it clear he was opposed to the idea.

 

"I'm opposed to the idea that these drugs should be sold over the counter ... because I don't think they're healthy," he said.

 

The Greens' proposal was also slammed by anti-drugs campaigners.

 

Source: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/National/story_46334.asp

[Tom]

A spokesman for Mr Costa responded as he had when the matter was first raised, saying the minister would be happy to undergo a drug test if all his parliamentary colleagues did the same.

He still doesn't deny ever having used them, random drug testing of all MP's in Australia would probably speed up the legalisation process a bit though.

 

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[sols]

g'day; i urge everyone to go here http://ninemsn.com.au/ now, vote in todays news poll asap. it wont be there tomorrow.

NSW needs all the help it can get now to keep this debate on reform going.

 

 

500,000 ppl have no voice in a protest, but 1 person single handedly changed music laws....think about it.

[pipeman]

The depressing thing about that poll is that there are almost 20,000 votes for no and only 11,000 for yes.

[Tom]

The depressing thing about that poll is that there are almost 20,000 votes for no and only 11,000 for yes. 

11,001 now.

 

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[Guest Babybear]

i voted yes, but it worries me to have all them BAD drugs legalized because it wont stop the black market but might just slow it down

when is qld going to get to vote??

Edited March 4, 2003 by Babybear

[sols]

g'day; it will stop the black market only if it is legalised and regulated, exactly the same as alcohol. how many black market alcohol dealers you know of?

once drugs are regulated, then it can be licenced and you wont need to see guy down road who needs your money 1st so he can take 2 days to get you a baggie.

[Guest Babybear]

Thats right i know of 2 actully one chargese almost same as a bottle shop but that is cause it is very stong

 

i think still a long way off to gettin it legalized ..but whats the point at times, the govoment is running this country to the ground..

[Tom]

Thats right i know of 2 actully one chargese almost same as a bottle shop but that is cause it is very stong

 

i think still a long way off to gettin it legalized ..but whats the point at times, the govoment is running this country to the ground..

The federal government is running the country into the ground, but in Australia the drug laws are in the hands of the states and territories.

 

One thing that the major parties and the media have glossed over here is that the Greens are not approving of hard drug use, they are saying that drug addiction should be taken away from the LEO's and put in the hands of the medical system, just like alcohol as it is a health problem in the same way alcohol and tobacco are (less harmful to others though). What the media and the major parties have publicised so loudly is only a small, carefully edited and taken out of context part of the whole policy, in other words it was just more dirty politics.

 

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[jackfrost]

The media creates so much hype about "drugs are bad...", that it brainwashes the average aussie.

 

If these people would do a little research they would discover a few things:-

 

1)Making soft drugs legal (cannabiss,mdma) will take all the profits away from organised crime gangs and put the profits back into the community.

 

2)Aussie Adults have a right to be able to make a choice in life - we do live in a democratic socity, it is our right to drink alchol, smoke cigerattes and use cannabis or mdma, as long as it does not effect anyone else - if goverments take these fundermantal rights away (which they have), we are nobetter then slaves to our master.

 

2)Making hard drugs legal by doctor supervision will stop 90% of break and enter and street crime, it will also help these people to deal with there addiction, and be able continue to work and have a family unit.

 

3)It will save lives and familys

 

4)The current system is NOT working, our jails are 90% filled with drug related crimes. Take this work load away from the police and they would be able to catch REAL crims, ie - rapeist, murders etc.

As long as there is huge profit to be made, the police can not ever hope to win the "war on drugs". What is the point of a war that never ends? THE HOLE SYSTEM NEEDS A OVERHAUL, and I thing the greens have a good perspective on things.