Inquiry into Amphetamines and Other Synthetic Drugs (AOSD)

[johnboy]

NEWS: Daily Telegraph - 02/03/07 'Australia, the ecstasy nation'

[EDIT: Threads merged. hoptis]

AUSTRALIA'S use of the drug ecstasy is the highest in the world – and is getting worse, according to a parliamentary report.

The report, endorsed by all major parties, calls for the National Drug Strategy to give more attention and resources to harm-reduction strategies.

The inquiry, which looked at the manufacture, importation and use of amphetamines and other synthetic drugs (AOSD), said pill testing at rave parties should be considered as a way of addressing the serious effects drugs can have on users.

A program in Victoria – which tests the composition of pills about to be consumed by rave participants – inspired the committee to recommend pill testing be further considered.

"The committee acknowledges that tension exists around the harm-reduction and demand-reduction potential of pill testing programs," the report, released on Wednesday, said.

"There are concerns that such schemes equate with condoning drug-taking, could expose pill-testing authorities or practitioners to civil or criminal liability and could endanger users of such services.

"Without endorsing or otherwise approving pill testing, the committee considers that the Victorian study should be monitored."

As well as pill testing, the committee recommended that public education and demand-reduction campaigns be more informative, "appropriately targeted" and seek input from young people.

The report said Australia had the highest consumption per head of population in the world of ecstasy – 3.4 per cent.

Every weekend, Australians consume 100,000 ecstasy tablets.

The report also found that the rise in methamphetamine-use – particularly regular use of its purer forms, base and ice – had been linked with an increase in mental illness in users.

"While most AOSD is imported, recent seizures of precursor chemicals and clandestine laboratories (clam labs) show domestic manufacture is increasing," parliamentary committee chairman Ian Macdonald said.

Detections of laboratories rose from 58 in 1996-97 to 381 in 2004-05.

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21308185-5006009,00.html

The full AOSD report can be found here:

http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/acc_ctte/aosd/report/index.htm

This article seemed to make it sound more supportive of pill testing than how Id read it. Oh well, if that's the consensus it's fine by me.

 

[Ashley]

"There are concerns that such schemes equate with condoning drug-taking"

Probably taken out of context, but would you rather people die or would you rather "condone" drug use?

 

[phase_dancer]

^ It's would seem to be from the stubborn attitudes shown by many prohibitionists, that these people would rather view it as "sacrificing a few for the good of the many" - meaning; a few deaths should make em stop taking drugs...yeah right 8)

 

[ilikeacid]

This is good news.... isn't it? Am I reading this correctly or are govenmental departments getting closer to reading into the facts of the pill testing issue?

If this is so it seems we've come along way in 6 or so years. I guess governments regularly dismiss report findings - NSW Ombandsman Report on use of sniffer dogs to target users would be one prime example - so I could be wrong..

 

[drplatypus]

I think that this IS a step in the right direction. I found Ian McDonald a likeable and decent man, albeit struggling with concepts which are very foreign to his traditional way of thought. This will not be an overnight conversion.

Many of these drug warriors have been holding their hardcore opinions for the last 30 years, and forgetting for a moment the very obvious strengths of our harm minimization arguments, we have to take into account the very basics of human psychology when we are dealing with the authors of this report. For them this is a radical change in viewpoint, and I think that we, as group interested in HR, have to encourage them- it's otherwise like expecting a supertanker to have a turning circle of 10 yards...

I think that this report shows that some old heads are seeing that the current state of play is untenable, and are laying the ground work for more radical policy changes in the future... believe me when I say that this is a brave piece of work for them, and I think many have put their political careers on the line for it