INDEPENDENT NEWS

Government's Drug Policy Helped Kill Twins

Published: Mon 12 May 2008 12:13 AM
Government's Drug Policy Helped Kill Twins
While the Governments policy of ignoring harm from P and other drugs continues we will not only have drug enhanced families killing babies, but they'll also continue targeting strangers for violence off and on on the road.
Macsyna Kings brother admitted that while P use was linked to the unsafe environment his murdered nephews lived in through her use (and perhaps others), he had also had a P habit at a time he experienced multiple car wrecks.
Even worse he was a truck driver, one obviously not drug tested or scrutinised for his driving fitness after numerous crashes he admitted to having while using. This adds to the overwhealming evidence that LTNZ's idea the road using Public is safe from the collateral killings caused by illicit drug misuse really is not OK.
The Candor Trust is bemused at the Governments stance that there is no illicit drug harm in New Zealand, as shown by grossly underestimated harm in the recently released drug harm index atop inaction.
The airways are today dominated with half pie adverts aimed at generating alcohol harm hysteria, in an apparent attempt to write drug harm out of the equation. Drug users are getting the message that they are safer and better citizens than drunks.
We now not only have public service television ads and announcements trying to fool the public that the road toll is all about alcohol and not also a drug issue, but these are also complemented by equally misleading alcohol rape ads and alcohol family violence ads.
Drugs are quite literally written out of the picture in an amazing feat of poetic license. Just to help further wind back the clock to 1950 and present a false image of NZ as not being drug ridden, the latest addition to the stable are the "don't drink and fry" fire safety ads. These really "take the p--s" like no others.
Most Kiwis of an age to use consciousness altering substances are not aware that it is cannabis that gives people "the munchies" and attracts them like fireflies to the oven to "spot." Just prior to making them sleepy. Spot, sleep and sizzle may be just as much of an issue as "drink and fry" on these Islands.
The Government although great at coining attractive catch phrases on a par with "doo da coruba" seems to be quite out of touch or perhaps deliberately ignorant to the modern realities and dangers of Kiwi culture.
Why is it that privae organisations came up with and haf to fund anti P tv ads, and that Candor Trust had to produce anti drug driving ads? This is unique Internationally.
Candor Trust members are unhappy their tax dollars are only spent on licit drug campaigns, while drug harm is lost from the narrative and at risk drug users fall through the cracks. Making mention of drug harm taboo unless it is a taxed drug is not the answer.
ENDS

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