Illicit drugs are a real scourge; it has a far worse impact on families than does alcohol. Prohibition is the alternative to harm minimisation, but it does not work; well and truly proven in the 1930s. Those who manufacture drugs when caught should be imprisoned and have the keys thrown away.

When parents take illicit drugs it is a blight on their children.

Harm minimization might not offer a complete answer but it certainly has helped large numbers of people.

The Greens have never indicated that they were going to make illicit drugs available generally, its garbage; many Greens have professional backgrounds such as teachers, doctors, lawyers etc. People within these professional groups would not be promoting easily accessible drugs. What is happening now is not working particularly well.

The Greens are a thorn in the side of conservative politicians, some conservative politicians are stooping to gutter tactics to try to thwart them.

Philip has got it wrong. The Greens have it wrong. Harm minimisation does not work - Sweden's approach does. Sweden requires drug addicts to undertake rehab and has a tough approach to dealers. The softly softly approach does not work - would you give an alcoholic a light beer? I think not. It must be complete abstinence and support to get off the drug of dependence.

Furthermore we should stop referring to illicit drugs as "party drugs" or "recreational drugs" - they are killers and should be labelled as such.

Dinners, the Howard Government does not believe in setting up infrastructure; Sweden is ruled more by Social Democrat principles isn't it? Mr. Howard takes a prohibition view on drugs, but what has he really done to prevent the cancer that is created by illicit drugs? Illicit drug use is a Nationwide problem. A golden opportunity has been lost when instead of reimbursing taxpayers, those resources could have been utilized to set up an infrastructure to deal with drug takers.

However, the rugged individualism of current Liberal philosophy would not allow such an approach. So while harm mimimisation might not be the best manner to deal with drug takers, it is the best we have available at present

An interesting article - and only a few months out from a Federal poll.

The Senate investigation in to Mental Health 2006 lists numerous mental health experts, citing the effects of ectasy and marijuana on mental health. It's not a 100 percent proven but what is?

Are there any Green supporters out there who would like a major debate on drugs now? If the Greens get the balance of power, then that might be the time to bring it on.