fight4rights

Greens drop controversial drugs policy
Jason Frenkel | The Courier-Mail | 1/26/06

THE Australian Greens have dropped a controversial policy to study options to supply drug users with ecstasy and marijuana.

Party leader Bob Brown said yesterday the party had backed away from the proposal after talking to drug experts.

The plan to investigate the regulated supply of illicit drugs was ridiculed by critics in the lead-up to the 2004 federal election.

It called for "the controlled availability of cannabis at appropriate venues" and "investigations of options for the regulated supply of social drugs such as ecstasy in controlled environments".

Under the Greens' revised drugs policy, decisions about harm minimisation would rest with a proposed new Australian drugs policy institute, Senator Brown said.

"The contentious past proposals to investigate options for the regulated supply of marijuana and ecstasy have gone," Senator Brown said yesterday.

"It's come after a lot of study by the Greens in reference to national experts in the field of drugs.

"It takes away the controlled-supply option that was there before with ecstasy and marijuana."

The new drugs policy, endorsed by the party's national conference in Hobart, says criminal sanctions for personal drug use should be dropped in favour of rehabilitation and harm minimisation.

It proposes a new national centre to develop drugs policy based on evidence-based trials.

"There are serious health risks associated with all drug use," Senator Brown said.

"We think people - especially young people - should be discouraged from abusing drugs, including tobacco and alcohol.

"It is harmful for your health and our policy of harm minimisation reflects that," he said.

Senator Brown accused the Herald Sun of misrepresenting the Greens' policies in an August 2004 report.

The Australian Press Council upheld a complaint against the Herald Sun in March last year over the report.

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"Those who do no harm to others should not be harmed by others..." Ethan Nadelmann
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"'Just say no' to drugs, except those marketed by big pharmaceutical companies." Ignorant Politicians