NEWS: The Age - 16/5/07 'Blast for states' drug policies'

[lil angel15]

Blast for states' drug policies
Annabel Stafford and Carol Nader
May 16, 2007

STATE cannabis laws must be strengthened and a heroin injecting room in Sydney's Kings Cross closed down, the federal minister responsible for illicit drugs has warned, ahead of a meeting on drug policy with the states today.

Christopher Pyne has lashed out at his state counterparts for being weak when it comes to preventing illicit drug use and accused them of undermining Canberra's "Tough on Drugs" stance — foreshadowing a fight at today's Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy.

Despite growing evidence of the contribution cannabis makes to mental health problems, "the state governments still have a soft approach to cannabis use", Mr Pyne said.

"(Many of them) still have a series of warnings before nothing much more than the equivalent of a traffic fine."

Mr Pyne would not be drawn on just what laws the states should introduce, saying only that they should be sending a tougher message.

The Federal Government's top advisers on illicit drugs will tell the states that Australian governments need to do more to help South-East Asian nations to improve rehabilitation and treatment programs.

The Government's "zero-tolerance" message on drugs — sent at the same time it continues to support harm-reduction measures such as needle exchanges — has been attacked as contradictory. Drug experts have also warned that it risks Australia's aid for harm-reduction programs in Asia.

Former Howard Government minister John Herron — who chairs the Australian National Council on Drugs — will tell today's meeting that there has been a huge increase in methamphetamine production in South-East Asia.

Also at the meeting, Victorian Mental Health Minister Lisa Neville will ask where the $150 million promised by the Federal Government in relation to illicit drugs will go

The Age

 

[juice_soldier]

fuky pyne at it again.

I think some of these politicians need to try some drugs to perhaps find a REAL reason to prevent danger

 

[ayjay]

It's really depressing that Pyne is in the position he's in - he seems utterly clueless about public health responses to drug use. The "sending the wrong message" line really sickens me It all seems part of a deliberate campaign to misinform the general public then play them for political advantage...

... Politishitans...

 

[static_mind]

Pyne is a dickhead that would rather let users die. Heres a quote from the JJJ Hack interview with Johnboy

"if someone could convince you that pill testing would save lives and lead to reduced harm to young people, would you then go to the party room, the libral party room and argue for an introduction of legal pill testing?"

Pyne-"Ah I don't believe that uh pill testing is the approprite course for any body in Australia..."


There are doctors like Dr David Coldicot...who argue that pill testing can save lives, if doctors and researches on the ground who are doing pill testing gave you the evidence, gave you research that showed that you could decrease death and also reduce harm for young people taking drugs by bringing in legal pill testing, would you consider that?"

Pyne- "No..."


Your lives arn't worth much apperently