Excellent article.

Bronwyn Bishop should be charged with crimes against the Australian public. Her insane pushing of a US style zero tollerance drug policy has absolutely no foundantion in scientific fact and is morally corrupt.

The only conspiracy I'd consider would be that she is in the pockets of the drug cartels who run an industry in this country second only in estimated profit to the petro-chemical industry. And of course prohibition is the policy which keeps them in business. Of course they will line the pockets of their cronies in parliament, police, media etc who keep the policy of prohibition alive.

I have said it before and I will say it again - I use recreational drugs (ecstacy and cocaine in particular). I rather enjoy them to tell you the truth.

I own an run a highly successful finance firm, I employ a number of successful tax paying citizens, I love my family, my life and am a well balanced, happy and healthy individual. Dare I say it, but I beleive I contribute more to society than the average citizen (most people don't pay 6 figures in tax a year). I would like to give two big fingers in the air for zealots like Bronwyn Bishop who is a complete and utter moron.

I take solice in the knowledge that given my youthful age, it is highly likely I will enjoy a world without Bronwyn Bishop in it before I am too old. Thank f**k Labour is going to smash the Libs at the next election.

It's important that public opinion preceeds government decision-making. Political parties lack the courage to make decisions that are anathema to large sections of the public especially when the public are traditionally opposed to contentious viewpoints. It is education and research that finally undoes emotional resistance towards solutions to social problems. As such, research needs to be done in the effectiveness of removing prohibition of drug use as a means of undermining the illegal drug trade and to bring drug users with all their associated problems into the open. Only through this method will health services find and treat the mentally disabled who have illegal drug dependency and users of illegal drugs who are totally dependent on drugs. If lifting prohibition was achieved with pharmacutical companies supplying the drugs under medically prescibed use, the following effects would occur almost immediately. (a) There would be no market for illegal drugs and illegal drug suppliers and distributors would be put out of business overnight; (b) drug related crime would almost cease overnight; (c) prisons would have dramatic cuts in prisoner numbers; (d) drug users would receive treatment for their addictions, and (e) the burden on health costs and related social costs would be greatly reduced. You've got to start somewhere and what we are doing now is not working.

Dutchie,

Your analysis is absolutely spot-on. But you are missing one glaring, obvious fact: Your analysis is actually logical, based on evidence and intelligent. Not a single expert in the field would disagree - I mean prohibition is recognised as the biggest failure of policy in the history of this nation.

This is is Australia 2007 mate - policies in this country are based on ignorance, fear and religious extreemism. We have one of the most narrowly controlled and censored medias on the planet and a community full of god fearing zealots and wowzers who's sole purpose in life is to force their puritantical views on the rest of us - and usually with a cigarette in one hand and beer in the other.

Ahhh gross hypocricy - the foundation of this great country

Daniel,

I think one of the reasons that we’re not getting anywhere in this debate is because it is so polarised. People like Browyn Bishop aren’t evil or uncaring, they are simply convinced that the best way to minimise harm to the community is to reduce the supply of drugs.

Although the zero tolerance policy in New York has, without a doubt, been successful in making the city a less violent place, it has not reduced their drug problem. This success has come at the cost of imprisoning many people who were probably capable of rehabilitation,

Whilst she is wrong in pursuing zero tolerance, she is certainly not morally corrupt. She, and people like her, honestly believe this strategy will provide the best results.

The only way we are going to convince Bishop and her ilk is if we cut back on the extremely emotive language and the name calling, and try to help them realise that we are also interested in the best possible result for everyone, especially our children and our communities.

This will only be won based upon the evidence we can put forward. Clinging to ideology and partisanship will not get us anywhere. It's like preaching to the choir.

well said, Paul L.

Boaz, once again: people are perfectly capable of living meaningful and ethical lives without engaging with your supernatural buddies. it is utterly disgusting for you to keep suggesting otherwise.

Premier Brumby of Victoria campained for decriminalisation of drugs when he was the opposition leader, as soon as he was elected he with Bracks funded the most biased research from Swinburne University that is an international disgrace, as far as scientific method is concerned. Even serious academics like Professor Drummond of Monash University supported media fear campaigns. Police and VicRoads abuse scientific method to support their own biased agenda to criminalise drug users. Manufacturers of saliva test kits promote drug testing, they do not disclose false positive error rates.

http://www.hereticpress.com/Editorial.html#SwinburneResearch

The Greens are the only party who have a harm minimisation policy, they will have my support. Heroin dealers trade unhindered by police despite many calls from local residents. Police support drug dealers who pay them kickbacks. Victorian police have welfare drug testing, a voluntary code while Victorians are stopped at roadblocks for random error prone saliva testing which requires a backup blood sample is given to police. It is not about road safety at all, impairment is not measured at all.

http://www.hereticpress.com/Editorials/Editorial07.html#welfare

It is sickening for anyone concerned about civil liberties and the health of the population the war on drugs is a war on humanity and aspirations for spiritual meaning in life, body and blood of Christ is just so much empty rhetoric compared to a spiritual ceremony with the tribal shaman. The war does relate to Christian values historically, the war on native American religions.

http://www.hereticpress.com/Dogstar/Psychology/Hallucinogenic.html#Nature

The war on drugs supports the drug dealers who have police protection, it does nothing to help individual dysfunctional drug users, it criminalises them for a health problem. Criminal guilt by a simple and inaccurate drug test, the former legal standard was that an actus rea was required, some harmful act, now a simple chemical test suffices for criminal guilt.

Amsterdam is a good example where decriminalisation has worked.

There is an incredible bias against those calling for harm minimisation, as if they supported illicit drug use, vilified and intimidated for caring about people with problems.

Tim
http://www.hereticpress.com