16/08/02

Anderton Poor Choice For Minister Of Drugs-Suicide - Mild Greens

The Mild Greens say that government's credibility on harm minimisation has gone from bad to worse with the appointment of arch-prohibitionist Jim Anderton as Associate Minister responsible for the coalitions new drug education strategy.

"Appalling conflict of interest" say the Mild Greens.

How can we expect Anderton to recognise that prohibition double standards "are an impediment to effective anti drug education" [health select committee 1998 - see http://mildgreens.com/inq1.htm].

Worse, Anderton has been appointed associate responsible for the youth suicide strategy. "Anderton doesn't have a very good track record in this area", say the Mild Greens.

Criminalisation and associated phoney concern for young people has been strongly linked with NZ's worst youth suicide rate in the developed world.

"Netherland's, with legal marijuana, and honest health promotion, has a youth suicide one fifth of NZ's"

What is NZ doing so wrong that Holland is doing so right??

media officer Kevin O'Connell
sig. Blair Anderson

Mild Green Initiatives phone ++64 3 389-4065 mailto:initiatives@mildgreens.com
http://www.mildgreens.com

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