As a point of discussion, I'm wondering if anyone has any specific thoughts on why the "war on drugs" still has such a firm grip in Australia's culture and political discourse?
With the initiator - and most aggressive proponent of prohibition, the United States - seeing a legitimisation of medical and recreational cannabis industries in several states (and looking like more states joining the likes of Colorado and Washington state in full legalisation [on a state level]) as well as a liberalisation of weed in Canada - and the relaxed approach to law enforcement of various substances in Holland and Portugal - and the recent cannabis law reform in Uruguay (that's all I can think of, off the top of my head) - why is the idea of reform so far from the Australian political dialogue?
People with terminal illnesses such as cancer are not providided any of the legitimate Medical Cannabis that some our friends across the pacific have set up to ease the suffering - instead, if you have a loved one going through the agony of terminal illness, you have to either stick with the side-effect-ridden pharmacologically accepted way of easing this suffering, or stick with buying marijuana illegally with little reassurance that the herb has been properly flushed of nutrients (if grown hydroponically), adequately cured, appropriately genetically selected - basically using cannabis as "medicine" in Australia is a total gamble; you could be doing a patient far more harm than good.
Granted, the Australian healthcare system is far more equitable, affordable and compassionate than the US system - but certain more cutting edge therapies seem unlikely to be even be considered in Australia.
Many psychoactive substances that are legal/quasi-legal in other western nations (Salvia Divinorum, Kratom - not to mention a host of "research chemicals" - are strictly banned in Australia, for better or worse)
From either of the major parties - even the Greens - there is generally silence or ridicule of law reform.
This is not related strictly to the incumbent federal government - we've seen many state governments actually recant or greatly back-peddle on the decriminalisation of cannabis (and banning of "smoking implements" in most Australian states in the last ~5 years).
To illustrate this point further, the human consumption of industrial hemp products are banned in very few countries except Australia.
I recently bought some delicious - and highly nutritious - hemp seeds.
All nutritional information (a huge list of proteins and minerals) was covered by a big sticker, which stated something to the effect of "for external use only" (which I quickly removed).
What's going on, Australia? Is shame (and fear of persecution) holding politicians and the public back from earnestly campaigning for law reform - or are we really as backwards as some of our political leaders' positons on the issue would indicate?
Is it the government's addiction to the tax revenue of booze and ciggies?
Is it the lobbying power of Big Tobacco, the alcohol industry (breweries, bottle shops, hotels - which have shrunk in number and grown in industry share in recent decades)?
Is it the pharmaceutical industry?
Or is it Australian culture? The will of the people?
What is holding Australia back?
