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  • AADD Moderators: swilow | Vagabond696

Sky News; PLANS FOR LEGAL ECSTASY TESTING AT A DANCE PARTY

Well done once again - so pill testing is going ahead at earthcore - what about Advent*Jah? being a week between i don't know if its possible, but i would like to be involved, as i am working for the party and smile police - and the whole scene would love this to be the big movement that starts it all!

Viva La Resistance :)
Party Safe
 
I think that artical is more suportive of our cause than the last one. However the warning in the last paragraph is a little dire. I tell you if they arrest doctors who are trying to help young people avoid serious harm there will be a REAL STINK. I would seriously consider protesting publicly about it.
 
But Howard Government chief drug adviser Major Brian Watters condemned any test as encouraging drug use.
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He's not a real Major, either. Thats the Salvation Army he's in. Remind me to start a sect and give myself title of Supreme Galactic Emperor, then I'll outrank everyone, epaulettes or no epaulettes.

While Watters is chair and chief mouthpiece of the ANCD he doesn't actually have many letters after his name compared to the rest of them. Some of them sound quite clever. I wonder how much influence he actually has, aside from over the PM (which is obvious).

Has anyone tried to access the other members of the ANCD directly on this issue? Waste of time?

The other thing is, while I love the Seatbelt analogy (JB, you are never boring), as a harm reduction initiative, doesn't pill testing have more in common with needle exchange programmes? The ANCD are just wild about needle exchange. Page 24 of their Annual Report states:

The ANCD was also very active in promoting the benefits of harm reduction initiatives to the community. In particular, the ANCD showed strong support for, and promoted the findings of, the report Return on Investment in Needle and Syringe Programs in Australia, which was launched in October 2002.
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ANCD pubs.

Watters doesn't strike me as someone who would ever be into the idea of needle exchange. Isn't it a bit nod nod, wink wink?
 
Arresting doctors who are trying to do good. What a fantastic way to solve Australia's health-care problems. I thought there was a doctor shortage already? =\
 
Is it just me that seems to be awe struck at how old, out dated and retrospect australia's leaders are. Why live in the past when you can embrace the future...

fuck in heaven
 
Great commentary again.
Heh, arrest Platypus, riigggggghhhhttttttttt....

I can see the headlines now "Police arrest doctor for trying to save young peoples lives."

I'll quite happily pay your bail. If they were to arrest you that would most definitely throw our cause on to the front page of every paper in the country. If they want to win, arresting you is dumbest thing they could possibly do. I know cops aren't the greatest of intellectuals, but even they're not THAT stupid.
 
I doubt that they would arrest any doctors, too much bad publicity and that is not going to help right wing politics cause one iotta.
Luckily it doesn't matter too much what major dickhead watters says- permission is sought from the Victorian government not the federal government.
Is there any news about whether the bracks government has approved the testing?

PS- thanks go out to everyone behind this initative - this is certainly a big step in the right direction and good on everyone who has ever pushed foward the message of harm minimalisation.
 
oops sorry- I think my question has already been answered in hoptis's post8( .
 
Interesting wording from Steve James there, arresting "doctors" who handle pills.

The doctors were never going to touch them. It was always going to be us at Enlighten, just like always. Just as we have been doing for over 4 years now and just as Steve James knows we have been doing.

But yes, what we do is illegal and the are well within their rights to arrest us.

It is by no means a fait accompli. We may well not be testing at Earthcore. But 3 weeks is a long time in politics. Let's see how this pans out.
 
Oh and the needle exchange thing is dead on, only it doesn't play well as an analogy for press interviews. Yes it is exactly the same principle, but too much alike and doesn't give the viewer anything to relate to personally. And to be bloody honest the last thing we want to do is relate recreational ecstasy users to habitual iV drug users.

(Yes, yes, mibrane, I know, but one battle at a time OK? I am going to get slayed for that one but I'm not going to lie to you. This is a battle that is going to be fought in the living rooms of Ray Martin-country and we have to structure our message appropriately)

This is not just a difference of perception, however. Ecstasy is being used by a large part of the genereal community and is being intergrated into Australian social life. The government, and the public at large, must understand that this is a public health issue for all, not just for a marginalised fringe of society.

Also needle exchanges work under strict legislative guidelines that took 10 years of hard slog to get working. We have barely begun that journey with pill testing. Much of what will happen in the coming years will follow the trail blazed by the needle exchange pioneers and yes it is worthwhile reminding the "Major' Watters types that there is precedent but hypocrisy is nothing new to this lot.
 
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More controversy...

See two media releases below on this issue (posted to Update - Australian alcohol & drug listserver)

Media release 9 November 2004 CP002/04

Pyne says testing is not tough on drugs

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing, Christopher Pyne, expressed his alarm at the Australian Drug Foundations’ proposed testing of illicit drugs at clubs and rave parties.

Responding to the media reports that some state governments were considering allowing the Australian Drug Foundation to conduct these tests, Mr Pyne felt that this proposal would encourage drug use and foster a false sense of security amongst drug users.

“It is of great concern that the Australian Drug Foundation want to conduct these drug tests. These are illegal drugs. They are not safe for consumption in any context, the proposal sends entirely the wrong message,” Mr Pyne said.

“The Australian Government has a ‘Tough on Drugs’ approach to the use of illicit drugs. Allowing drug testing at raves and clubs makes a mockery of ‘Tough on Drugs’. It’s like saying so long as the right ingredients are in them it is okay to take them.”

“You can’t make drugs less harmful by testing them. They are harmful, and they are illegal.”

Mr Pyne said he would raise the issue with state health and police ministers at the meeting of the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy in Brisbane on Friday.

Media contact: Adam Howard - 0400 414 833


Australian Drug Foundation adds clarity to pill testing debate
Forwarded on behalf of Bill Stronach, CEO of the Australian Drug Foundation

The Australian Drug Foundation today moved to clarify the media based story surrounding a proposal to do pill testing at an Earthcore event in Victoria later this month.

The proposal to do pill testing was originated by Dr David Caldicott, the Research Fellow in the Emergency Department at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in South Australia. Dr Caldicott wrote to the Victorian Police Commissioner outlining his plans to do chemical testing of party drug pills at rave events in Victoria. He is yet to receive a response.

Dr Caldicott got the support of the Australian Drug Foundation's Dr Cameron Duff who wanted to use the pill testing opportunity to conduct standard attitude and behaviour research about pill taking habits. Dr Duff has already compiled a compelling body of evidence about party drug use in Victoria.

Dr Caldicott has signaled that he will also contact the Victorian Department of Human Services about pill testing in Victoria.

He has been supported to do pill testing in South Australia by various authorities for some months. His pill testing does not provide immediate results at the venue.

The Australian Drug Foundation has not applied for, and is not qualified to operate pill testing on site.

The Australian Drug Foundation's interest is in attitudes and behaviour of people attending raves.

The Australian Drug Foundation fully supports research in this area in the greater interest of harm minimisation and in the attempt to prevent deaths from party drugs such as those which have occurred in Sydney and Adelaide in recent weeks.
 
“You can’t make drugs less harmful by testing them. They are harmful, and they are illegal.”
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8o Is this guy fucking serious? Someone needs to sit him down and give him a good old fashioned education on the dangers of adulterants in pills and the fact that pill testing can detect these adulterants and will deter people from ingesting them.

It's just plain, fucking ignorance and it's holding this country back.

:X
 
But Dr Caldicott said there was no evidence drug use would increase because of the tests. "Watters is not a doctor or a scientist," he said.

"I think we should be basing our opinions on fact and research, not a gut instinct."
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Is this about the best comment you have ever seen - completely sums up how most of us would feel, especially those that have been involved in science. (Aka advancement fuelled by understanding, as opposed to politics fuelled by ignorance.)
 
^^ I agree Biscuit, has a very nice "you don't know shit so shut your mouth" air to it, don't you think?
 
here's some more gems of wisdom from those lovely people at fark:

-I swear, the type of people that use ecstasy would poke their brain with a pencil if you told them it would get them a "high"-

C'mon guys, why havent we thought of this before? We're really letting our standards slip...;)
 
interview with me on triple j tomorrow for the ten am news i think. listen out for it, and if someone can record it i would appreciate it.
 
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