Showing posts with label Jamie Briggs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jamie Briggs. Show all posts

Friday 19 February 2010

Bucket Head of the Year Awards - 2009



In the ever evolving world of drug policy and treatment, there does remain one constant ... a continuous parade of murky politicians, selfish moralists and dubious opinion writers who share a common goal to demonise drug users at any cost. Any attempt to be sensible and pragmatic about drug use or drug treatment is abhorred by these people and they will go to great lengths to undermine these efforts. In the process, logic and reality is counteracted with carefully constructed propaganda, junk science and claims of moral decay. The problem is that the truth is not on their side and cracks will appear which may expose some farcical and often humorous attempts to appear legitimate. These are serious issues and the anti-drug zealots cause much pain, suffering and death but the sheer absurdities of their actions need to be highlighted. What better way to recognise their actions than to nominate them for an award. 

Sadly, some of the better known Bucket Heads were quiet over the last 12 months. Piers Akerhead, Fred Nile and last year’s winner, Anne Bressington were surprisingly reserved and dearly missed. Western Australia though was alive and well with Bucket Heads galore. And we had some great input from The Liberal Party with new Bucket Heads stepping up and making us proud. So without further ado, let me introduce to you, the second annual edition of The Australian Heroin Diaries - Bucket Head of the Year Awards - 2009.
NOTE: These awards are from an Australian perspective and are based on issues involving drug policy and drug treatment. Many nominees are probably guilty of various other deeds but these awards are for drug related issues. I assume I have left out many candidates and events so feel free to add your nominations. These are my personal opinions and if I have upset anyone, I am sorry. If you don't want to be involved in these awards ... don't give me a reason to nominate you.


WORST STRATEGY FROM A COUNTRY IN 2009
China
Mass executions for International Drug Day [link]

Runners Up:

SE Asia
Death penalty for drug trafficking

Russia
No Methadone Maintenance Treatment(MMT)

Canada
Push for Mandatory Sentencing of Drug Crimes (Bill C-15) [link]



WORST INTERNATIONAL ANTI-DRUG GROUP IN 2009
Foundation For A Drug Free World (FDFW)
QUOTE: They Lied - Find Out The Truth About Drugs 
(Ironically, FDFW are the most infamous group in the world known for lying about drugs - They are also part of the Scientology cult )  [link]

Runners Up:

Drug Free America Foundation (DFAF) 
QUOTE: Drug Free America Foundation, Inc. is a drug prevention and policy organization committed to developing, promoting and sustaining global strategies, policies and laws that will reduce illegal drug use, drug addiction, drug-related injury and death. (Not one goal has ever been met but actually increased) [link

The World Federation Against Drugs (WFAD) 
QUOTE: The WFAD recognizes that civil society has the right to fact-based information about the risks and damage caused by drugs. All people have the right to be protected from the harms created by drug use. ( The so called “facts” put forward by WFAD are infamous for being exaggerated or simply not true. By far, the main harm to people from drug use has been due to the laws not from the drugs themselves) [link]

EURAD (Europe Against Drugs)
QUOTE: Drugs are illegal because they are dangerous; they are not dangerous because they are illegal. (This was taken from the slogan, Drugs are not illegal because they are dangerous; they are dangerous because they are illegal)



WORST AUSTRALIAN ANTI-DRUG GROUP IN 2009
Drug Free Australia (DFA)
What can you say about an organisation that supports drug testing at work and school, shutting down MSIC, removing Harm Minimisation as our national drug policy, stopping needle exchanges, cutting back heavily on Opiate Maintenance Treatment(OMT) e.g. methadone, buprenorphine etc, tougher penalties for drug users, compulsory rehab etc. 

Runners Up:

National Cannabis Prevention And Information Centre (NCPIC) [link]
NCPIC started out by claiming to give proper, evidence based information on cannabis. Maybe it was their name that gave it away but soon they just became another anti-cannabis mouth piece mainly due to the choice of Dr. Jan Copeland as Director.  Dr Copeland is a very enthusiastic supporter of prohibition and a keen advocate of measures such as drug testing and drug treatment of – as she has it – cannabis addicts. Dr Copeland spends a lot of time and energy travelling the world to address conferences, spreading the prohibition message.

Drug Free Ambassadors (Australia) [link]
The Drug Free Ambassadors is a drug prevention program sponsored by the Church of Scientology

Familyvoice Australia (Festival Of Light) [link]
FamilyVoice Australia made several submissions to government enquiries, pushing for an end to harm minimisation. Citing the Standing Committee on Family and Community Affairs report from 2003 titled, The Road to Recovery and the heavily criticised, The Bishop Report: “The Winnable War on Drugs” from 2007, FamilyVoice Australia decried needle exchanges, methadone, MSIC, a heroin trial etc. Basically, all the strategies that work. [link 1] [link 2]



SILLIEST COMMENT IN 2009
Judy Sheindlin
Judge Judy
Judge Judy and Cary Quashen during a debate claimed there are growing cases of “Marijuana Babies” being born addicted to pot.  [link]

Runners Up:

Herschel Baker
Drug Free Australia (DFA)
“The only reason that the death rate from illicit drugs is lower than that caused by alcohol abuse is that such drugs are illegal. Our current system of drug prohibition actually saves thousands of lives and billions of dollars in economic resources.” [link]

Luke Simpkin MP
The Liberal Party
“I would certainly like to endorse the permanent removal of children from drug-addicted parents. I would also like to endorse restrictions on methadone programs and the absolute elimination of funding for harm minimisation programs or harm minimisation publications. I believe that these are important steps forward to address the drug situation in this country.”

Sophie Mirabella MP
The Liberal Party
“Despite declaring a pre-election “war on drugs” in 2007, the Rudd Government has largely abandoned the “Tough on Drugs” initiative that was so successful under the Howard Government.”



MOST DUBIOUS POLITICIAN IN 2009 
Colin Barnett
Premier of WA (LP)

Runners Up:

• Sophie Mirabella (LP)
• Jamie Briggs (LP)
• Christian Porter (LP) 



WORST SUGGESTION FROM A POLITICAL PARTY IN 2009
The Federal Coalition
Taking up the recommendations in the The Bishop Report: “The Winnable War on Drugs” - 

Runners Up:

Australian Labor Party
Jenny Macklin MP
National rollout of compulsory income quarantining for welfare recipients 

The Liberal Party
Luke Simpkin MP
Taking up the recommendations in the The Bishop Report: “The Winnable War on Drugs”  [link]

In March, 2009 during a House debate, Luke Simpkin MP, canned harm minimisation and called for a policy of “Harm Prevention” better known as Zero Tolerance. He suggested taking up the recommendations of The Bishop Report: “The Winnable War on Drugs”. Here are some of his quotes:
-”I would certainly like to endorse the permanent removal of children from drug-addicted parents”
-”I would also like to endorse restrictions on methadone programs and the absolute illumination of funding for harm minimisation programs or harm minimisation publications”
-”but in the case of illicit drugs I think the hard line needs to be taken of harm prevention and never harm minimisation or harm reduction—or, otherwise, surrender to the scourge of illicit drugs”

The Liberal Party
Lawrence Springborg
Increasing drug related penalties to lower ambulance call out rates.

To counteract the increase in drug related ambulance call outs, Queensland Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg suggested the government just get tougher on drugs. [link]
"We've known for years that Queensland is the amphetamine capital of Australia and these figures show the problem is getting worse and yet this government has sat on its hands. We need zero tolerance to drugs, harsher penalties for people caught trafficking and supplying drugs, and money spent on better drug awareness campaigns rather than on ads promoting the Government."
-Queensland Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg

The Queensland Police Minister, Judy Spence responded with this cracker:

"Parents and indeed all members of the community need to join with government to help society understand that far from being harmless and recreational, illicit and illegal drugs can lead to hefty fines, prison sentences and in the cases of drug use, death". 
-Queensland Police Minister Judy Spence

With ambulance call outs rising in Queensland, there was no mention of what health factors are involved or whether contaminated drugs were hitting the streets. No mention that people were dying or dropping like flies. The only concern of the opposition was which party was toughest on drugs!



WORST DECISION FROM A POLITICAL PARTY IN 2009
The WA Liberal Government
Repealing the WA cannabis laws

Runners Up:

The WA Liberal government
Stop and search laws in WA

Bill Shorten MP (ALP) / Tony Abbott MP (LP)
Promoting the program, How to Drug Proof Your Kids from the Christian fundamentalist anti-gay group, Focus on the Family who have some very dubious connections [link 1] [link 2]

The NSW Labor government
Removing a smoking exemption for mental health facilities [link]



MAJOR POLITICAL PARTY WITH THE WORST DRUG POLICY IN 2009
Christian Democratic Party
The most un-Christian policy in Australia

Runners Up:

• Family First
• The Liberal Party
• The National Party



WORST NEWS HEADLINE IN 2009
Web Deals: Crims Get Cheap SA Drugs Online
Adelaide Advertiser - Mark Schliebs [link]

The article was just a revamp of a story published on several other News Ltd websites albeit with their own unique headline. Sadly for The Advertiser, these forums have been around for many years and were for information only, there was no mention of “crims” anywhere in the story, the drug prices were not cheap, it was not SA specific and there was no deals done online. Pointless headline really.

Runners Up:

Drug User Rips Off His Scrotum
The CourierMail [link]

The War On Drugs Is Being Won
Sydney Morning Herald - Miranda Devine [link]

Drug Dealers And Users Can Google Up A Few Hits
Adelaide Advertiser - Ben Harvy And Lauren Zwaans [link]



WORST ANTI-DRUG ARTICLE FROM THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA IN 2009
The Drug Scourge

Runners Up:

Heroin Addicts Shame
By Laurie Nowell and Evonne Barry (Sunday HeraldSun) [link]

Drug User Rips Off His Scrotum
The CourierMail [link]

Cocaine Parties Thrive In Suburbia
By Jackie Sinnerton (CourierMail) [link]



WORST NEWS.COM COMMENT IN 2009
It's about time ambulances stopped going out to drug OD calls or at the very least put them at the bottom of the priority list and just let the d**kheads lay in their own vomit. One day it could be you or a family member who has to wait for an ambulance because of the stupidity of one of the bottom dwellers and the consequences could be fatal. From now on no more tax payer funded support or medical intervention for drug users. I've had people close die from drug related issues and the rubbish they cause just isn't worth keeping them around. Let them dig their own graves.
-Posted by: Fed Up of the real world

Runners Up:

Let them die and overdose. They took this sh*t willingly. Sounds cruel but hey, why shold good resources such as the medics be sent out to save these tools? Someone more deserving needs to come first eg: heart attacks patients, stroke victims etc. Let the junkies die.
-Posted by: 123

To bad the whole 26 didnt die.
-Posted by: Rex

Just let them die,they wont do it again will they now.That will save us (community) a lot of money and time.
-Posted by: The real Jack



FUNNIEST NEWS.COM COMMENT IN 2009
...And as for the prohibition argument, those events occurred almost 100 years ago, so its completely invalid for todays society. And the same clown also stated that [recreational] drugs are safer and not addicive and cause very few problems for society. Are you serious???? Please tell me that you don't honestly believe that crap you just wrote. Not addicitive? Dont make me laugh. Safe? Laughing still. And very few problems for society? LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!
-Posted by: Charles Darwin of Evolutionville

Runners Up:

I know that we have a problem with these kids that find the only way to have fun is to get high on these drugs. Sorry and I know a lot of you won't agree with what I have to say, but if they want to blow their minds of on these drugs then don't waste out medical officers trying to save them. Just let them go. Theyn know when they take this drug there are risks. If the rinks are not anhered to then what more can you say. DO THE CRIME DO THE TIME. Sorry but have had enough of hearing about drug abuse in this countr. I came up in the 60s and wastn't lured by drugs in those days, so why are we worrying about what is happing today???? If you want to blow your brains out on drugs then go ahead as far as I am concerned. We are wasting too much money and effort dealing with kinds that have had no dissapline in their youth and it is starting to show in their aduthoot. Get a life and start looking forward to a future where you now are in control and not your parents.
-Posted by: Cathy of Gayndah

..it's posts like yours that makes a parents job 'that much harder'...to say 'if ectasy was regulated, taxed and sold like alcohol, no one would take BGH and overdoses wouldn't happen'...that's just irresponsible and stupid! NO DRUG should be 'regulated, taxed and sold'...(even dope will not get legalised, as who wants a bonged out bogan driving on our roads??)...anything that is chemically made is NOT SAFE!!!. NO DRUG!! But young people reading your ill informed post will only 'justify' that taking ectasy is 'really ok'...well its NOT!! And us as parents have our work cut out even further, to try to explain these stupid comments are NOT ACCEPTABLE!!! But l agree with what you said about alcohol...Alcohol is legal and thousands are affected by it...dometic abuse, addiction, drink driving, violent bashings??? You need to 'balance' your statement, and not be so hypocrital..
-Posted by: Cheryl 

Go for it kiddies - did the guys that sold it too you tell you that a side effect is urinary incontinence? I didn't think so. LOL.
-Posted by: Crackers of Freo



WORST ANTI-DRUG JOURNALIST IN 2009
Miranda Devine (SMH)
-The War On Drugs Is Being Won [link]
-Addicts Say Abstinence Sets Them Free [link]

Runners Up:

Jackie Sinnerton [link]
-Cocaine Parties Thrive In Suburbia [link]
-Housewives Turn To Cocaine Abuse In Queensland (with Paula Doneman) [link]

Lauren Zwaans & Ben Harvy
-New Drug Craze Worries Authorities [link]
-Drug Dealers And Users Trade Tips On Internet Site [link]
-Drug Barons Recruit Younger Users [link]
-Drugs, drunks on a night of dirty deals [link]
-When Love Is Found In A Pill [link]
-Experimentation Leads To Permanent Effects [link]



MOST OVERUSED PHRASE IN 2009
The is no such thing as a safe recreational drug

Runners Up:

• “Send the wrong message”
• “Epidemic”
•  “Scourge”



BIGGEST DECEPTION FROM A PERSON OR GROUP IN 2009
Drug Free Australia (DFA)
Making multiple votes on a web poll [link]

It appears that there are no boundaries to the deceit from some supporters of Drug Free Australia(DFA). A recent internet poll that questioned whether DFA have a rightful place on professional lists had to be reset after it was discovered that multiple votes had come from the same IP address.

Runners Up:

The Federal Coalition
Harm Minimisation has failed

NCPIC
Pretending to be neutral on the cannabis debate while the director, Dr. Jan Copeland is a well known anti-cannabis crusader

The Police
Drug raids are having significant effect on drug supply and demand



JUNK SCIENCE CLAIM FROM 2009
Questioning the success of Needle Exchange Programs
Drug Free Australia (DFA)

(For some reason, the report doesn’t appear on DFA’s website. In fact I can’t find it anywhere except here)

And when it comes to Hepatitis C prevention, where we at Drug Free Australia believe there is some demonstrated benefit, the researchers have failed to recognise that needle exchanges, by giving the appearance of condoning drug use, may have the effect of increasing drug use while alleviating some of its harms.  It is notable that when the ‘safe use of illicit drugs’ movement, of which needle exchanges are one physical manifestation, was handsomely bankrolled internationally in 1991, world drug use skyrocketed, and there is every possibility that this was causal.  So increased drug use would decrease the overall financial benefit to Australians.

Runners Up:

Cannabis is a gateway drug
WA Premier, Colin Barnett 

Overstating the connection between cannabis and testicular cancer
The Daily Telegraph [link]

“Tough on Drugs” reduces drug use
All major political parties except the Greens and the Democrats



MOST FARCICAL CLAIM IN 2009
Herschel Baker (DFA)
Drug prohibition saves thousands of lives and billions of dollars in economic resources [link]
The only reason that the death rate from illicit drugs is lower than that caused by alcohol abuse is that such drugs are illegal. Our current system of drug prohibition actually saves thousands of lives and billions of dollars in economic resources

Runners Up:

SA Police Minister Michael Wright
Great success from police drug dogs [link]
“The three highly trained canines and their handlers have achieved remarkable results in a short period of time and they should be commended for their commitment to disrupting drug taking and dealing on our streets.”

In just over 12 months and 193 deployments, the total haul is: 1090 Ecstasy tablets, 4 LSD tablets, 1.58 kilograms of cannabis, 17 grams of amphetamine, 6 grams of ketamine, 3 grams of cocaine, 15mls GHB 21 pieces of drug paraphernalia including an ice pipe and cocaine kit.

PerthNow
The article claims that BZP is dangerous and has “significant side effects”  [link]

The article claims that BZP has “significant side effects and can prove deadly in certain circumstances” then listing these “significant side effects” as increased heart rate; dilation of pupils; nausea; flushing; dry mouth; urinary incontinence. They don’t sound too deadly to me. Also, what is “urinary incontinence”? [link]

Theodore Dalrymple (Anthony Daniels)
The Spectator (UK) [link]
Heroin withdrawal as being no worse than a case of the flu and 5-10 years in jail will stop the rise of heroin addiction.

[Withdrawal] is time limited... and not life-threatening, thus can be easily controlled by reassurance, personal attention and general nursing care without any need for pharmacotherapy. [...] I might add also that doctors have a very long history of treating the trivial condition of withdrawal from opiates in a dangerous, indeed fatal fashion.
[...]
Addiction should be treated as an aggravating circumstance, and an automatic additional five or ten years ought to be added to addicts’ sentences...



ANTI-DRUG PROPAGANDIST - RISING STAR AWARD FOR 2009
Sophie Mirabella MP
The Liberal Party

Is Sophie the new Bronwyn Bishop? Rude and belligerent, demanding and stubborn, arrogant and obnoxious? These traits probably fit most politicians but Sophie excels at them and is starting to shine as the next female head-kicker for the Libs. But it’s her venomous hate of drug users and harm minimisation that fuels the comparisons with the iron beehive. The push for cruel, inhumane strategies and praise for the so called success of Howard’s “Tough on Drugs” policy, reeks of Bishopism and some deep seated conservative views. If you add to this a complete ignorance of medical facts, a plethora of persistent, scary sound-bites  and the vote winning attraction of being “Tough on Drugs” then you have the perfect anti-drug propagandist.

“At the Annual UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna in March this year, our “tough” Government actually protested that the term “harm reduction” had been pointedly excluded from a political declaration – effectively betraying Labor’s real “soft on drugs” approach and putting us at odds with our traditional ally, the US.”

Runners Up:

Jamie Briggs MP 
The Liberal Party
Varous articles in the media [link]

Susan Ley MP
The Liberal Party
Continuous attacks on ALP’s customs and border protection policies especially in reference to drugs

Lawrence Springborg  MP
The Liberal Party
Outrageous comments about drug policies and laws



MOST DANGEROUS ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGNER INTERNATIONALLY FOR 2009
Pope Benedict XVI
CEO of the Catholic Church (Head Office)
In an obvious last minute attempt at influencing the upcoming United Nations meeting in March to determine international drug policy, the Vatican issued a public statement that using drugs is "anti-life" and "so-called harm reduction leads to liberalisation of the use of drugs". The Vatican objects to harm reduction strategies like needle exchange programs, safe injecting sites and methadone. Although these strategies save lives and have been very successful, the Vatican selfishly put their ideology first. It shows once again these fundamentalists care more about pushing their stale dogma on society than actually helping people.  [link]

Runners Up:

Antonio Maria Costa 
Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

Antonio Maria Costa is an Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, appointed in May 2002 to the positions of Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Director-General of the United Nations Office in Vienna (UNOV). [wikipedia]

Robert Dupont
Bensinger, DuPont & Associates (BDA)

DuPont was the first director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and was White House Drug Chief from 1973 to 1978. He is co-founder of Bensinger, DuPont & Associates (BDA) — a company that specializes in workplace drug testing. See this post about his claims that marijuana legalization would be like legalizing speeding and drunk driving.

Calvina Fay
Drug Free America Foundation(DFAF)

Calvina Fay is the Executive Director for Drug Free America Foundation, Inc. and Save Our Society From Drugs (SOS). She has been an outspoken advocate against the legalization of drugs for over 20 years. Professor Fay has served as an advisor to the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy as well as several political leaders, including President Bush, on drug policy issues. She is the author of several books, most noteworthy being, The Supervisor's Handbook For Preventing Drug Abuse in The Workplace and Starting a Drug Free Business Initiative. As seen by the titles of her books, one of Calvina Fay's major focus is on drug abuse in the workplace.



MOST DANGEROUS ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGNER IN AUSTRALIA FOR 2009
Dr. George O’Neal & Dr. Stuart Reece
Medical Entrepreneurs

While people are dying from their Naltrexone implants, they continue to play on desperate addicts looking a miracle cure. The implants are not registered with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) so they use a loophole under the special Access Scheme, by claiming that heroin dependent patients are critically ill and at risk of death. Reece is also a hardline, fundamentalist Christian and anti-harm minimisation nutter who is infamous for citing biblical quotes at a government enquiry. 

Runners Up:

Craig Thompson
National President of Drug Free Australia (DFA)

A previous role as a magistrate in the Local Courts of NSW opens many doors for Craig Thompson to push his Zero Tolerance agenda. His out spoken views on cannabis and on the drug taking riff-raff he dealt with as a magistrate gets him plenty of invitations to speak his mind. And that’s exactly what he does ... gives his personal opinions without much evidence to back it up.

Roslyn Phillips
FamilyVoice Australia

Formely known as the Festival of Light, FamilyVoice Australia continue their damnation of harm minimisation with several submissions to government enquiries. Roslyn Phillips is the main voice from this group who once claimed Rev. Fred Nile as one of their own.

Jo Baxter
Drug Free Australia (DFA), Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD), WFAD

While being a member of DFA and WFAD mightn’t have any credibility, her position in the ANCD does. Although, I doubt if anyone at the ANCD actually pays her any attention, Aunty Jo is still able to make her silly suggestions as a member of this group. As the ANCD sheds it’s link to Brian Watters, Craig Thompson, Ann Bressington, John Howard and other relics of the past, it is becoming much more credible with harm minimisation heavy weight Gino Vumbaca and other qualified personnel. This gives Aunty Jo the apparent backing of a reputable group (one that isn’t sniggered at like DFA and WFAD) and her push for dangerous Zero Tolerance strategies might be taken seriously.



MOST USELESS INITIATIVE IN 2009
Sniffer dogs at Cheech and Chong show in Sydney

The NSW police have been experiencing a PR nightmare recently but their latest escapade tops them all. In a woeful display of wasted resources, a Cheech and Chong show at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney’s Newtown was delayed as a team of 25 officers and 4 drug dogs screened the audience as they entered the foyer. The police were later seen at nearby pubs and the local railway station in search of more dangerous, middle aged pot smokers. In all, 6 people were found with small quantities of cannabis and were released without charge and instead were given a caution notice. [link]

Runners Up:

Just Say No
A “Just Say No” rehash from the No Way Campaign supported by the National Rugby League(NRL) [link]

A host of rugby league personalities, including Rabbitohs coach Jason Taylor, will help deliver to schools and young people the uncompromising new message - "Just say no". The campaign, to be launched at a Sydney public high school today, is a direct challenge to harm-minimisation advocates who admit young people take drugs and seek to limit the damage. - The Daily Telegraph

Sniffer Dogs
Sniffer dogs at music festivals like The Big Day Out

Costing hundreds of thousands of dollars and wasting much needed resources, the police continue their focus on casual users of relatively safe, recreational drugs. And like a bucket with holes in it, most of what they are trying to stop, gets through. They only capture a tiny percentage of the total drugs at these venues but it’s obvious it’s not their real intention. Like most of these strategies, it’s about appearing “Tough on Drugs” which will hopefully equate into more votes at an election.

School Drug Testing & DFA Recomendations
Push for school drug testing and other recommendations from a DFA report [link]

Independent MP, Peter Wellington wanted to implement drug testing at schools and other recommendations from the discredited DFA report: Cannabis: suicide, schizophrenia and other ill-effects.

The push by Peter Wellington MP (ind.) is surprising since he seems to be quite intelligent. He is a firm believer in offering unlimited medication to dying people in pain and has criticised NSW for having draconian, opposing laws.

But he has clearly missed the mark here and been blinded by the junk science produced by DFA. He said the report showed “irrefutable” evidence there was a connection for many people between cannabis/marijuana use and mental illness. The key deception was the use of “many” people which should say “hardly any” people. Only those with a pre-existing family history of mental health problems are at risk or those who heavily abuse the drug.

“What concerns me is that so many people in our community seem to have the view that marijuana use is not a problem. They view it as a recreational drug which is not a problem and that everyone does it.
[...]
The report has frightening revelations, and mental illness is a tsunami about to erupt”
-Peter Wellington MP (ind.) Member for Nicklin.

Like most DFA recommendations, they were eventually ignored and faded into obscurity.



LOW POINT IN 2009
The UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna

Runners Up:

• The death of Gemma Thoms who swallowed all of her ecstasy pills to avoid detection from drug sniffer dogs at the Big Day Out [link]
• The sacking of Professor David Nutt by The UK Home Secretary [link]
• Queen Silvia of Sweden, accepting Patronage of The World Forum Against Drugs and her failure to address the appalling human rights abuse in her own nation



THE BUCKETHEAD OF THE YEAR - 2009
The ultimate anti-drug zealot who made a huge impact on the downfall of rational thinking and sensibility in 2009. Unlike the category for Most Dangerous Anti-Drug Campaigner, The Bucket Head of the Year can be literally a “Bucket Head” Think of Rove, Bronwyn Bishop, Daryl Somers etc. They might be dangerous or just plain stupid but they must be worthy of scorn and criticism.

Colin Barnett
WA Premier (LP)

Trying to top last year’s winner, Anne Bressington, is not easy but WA premier, Colin Barnett has made a gallant attempt. Introducing new laws infamous for failing globally, to replace existing laws that have been succeeding could be interpreted as brave and insightful. Unfortunately for Colin “Barney Rubble” Barnett, it wasn’t. It was seen for what it really was ... an out-of-touch old man clinging desperately to his stagnant ideology and putting faith into strategies that have failed miserably for the last 40-60 years which are rapidly on their way out. Only a brave man indeed would remove a modern, successful drug policy because of myths like “The Gateway Theory” and other junk science. Someone should point out to Barney that the internet(yes Barney, that TV looking thing on your desk) means politicians can no longer just say what they want and the public have to take it as gospel. 

Barney is also introducing “Stop and Search” laws, claiming it will cut down on street violence and anti-social behaviour by seeking out those carrying knives or drugs. In certain designated areas, police can stop and search any person without provision of reasonable suspicion. What the hell drugs have to with weapons is yet to quantified.

Barney is a dying breed which probably sums up the current Liberal Party and some of the Labor Party. It's not that his drug policies are just useless and counter-productive but they are also dangerous. To underplay the deaths and misery caused by these policies for political gain or for personal ideology is disgraceful and should be seen as a criminal act. A “Tough on Drugs” mentality has caused massive damage in every country that adopts this approach and after 100 years of drug prohibition globally, some common sense is finally emerging. Sadly, this doesn’t include Colin Barnett.

On a lighter side ... man, is he funny or what? That bloodhound face looking like it was made from plastic. The monotone political rhetoric putting TV viewers to sleep. Walking around Northbridge at night to prove it is family friendly only to be confronted with some druggie asleep in a doorway. But it was an accidental camera pan of several heavyweight body guards that blew his cover as the brave leader walking the streets alone. And of course, the references to old, debunked urban myths about drugs that had much of WA’s youth rolling around the floor in hysterics and experts scratching their heads in bewilderment. Good stuff, Barney.

I proudly present to you, this years BucketHead of the Year for 2009 ... WA Premier, Colin Barnett.

Runners Up:

Jo Baxter
Drug Free Australia (DFA)
Ah, Aunty Jo Baxter. Keeping DFA in the spotlight as the other board members settle into their retirement homes or wait for surgery. Rumour has it that Jo was once a host for a children’s TV show and her homely looks and manner sparked the nickname, Aunty Jo. But don’t be fooled ... under that soft exterior is a dedicated DFA warrior. She is able to whip up links to decades old research and toss around junk science sound bites with the best of them.

Ryan Hidden
Reformed Drug Addicts League of SA
That nattering mouthpiece for Anne Bressington remains constant with his campaign against harm minimisation and cannabis. Like an itch on your bum, he’s there annoying the shit out of you for no other reason, except that he can.

Gary Christian
Drug Free Australia (DFA)
Gary is DFA’s technical advisor for propaganda and is responsible for regular attacks on harm minimisation. He is well known on the ANCD email forums for trying to discredit any research that opposes the DFA dogma. Not surprisingly, no one else usually agrees with him.





Tuesday 23 June 2009

Jamie Briggs - The MP Who Drank the Kool Aid with Lolly Water

Jamie Briggs MP holds the federal seat of Mayo in SA and is a member of the House of Representatives Standing Committees on Health and Ageing. He is also an anti-drug warrior who recently became a contributor to the news/opinion web based forum, The Punch. His latest article at The Punch raises the issue of drug policy priorities where he criticises the Labor government for over looking illicit drugs in favour of binge drinking especially in regards to the alcopops tax. Briggs has previously voiced his concerns about the government’s focus away from illicit drugs with an article in the CourierMail. And this time, he goes even further. The problem is the further he goes, the more he delves into myths, propaganda and lies. It’s hard to tell if he is being sincere in his beliefs or whether he is just spinning a political yarn to shore up ignorant voters. If he does indeed know the facts, then he is deceitful and a liar but if he actually believes his own bullshit, then he is thick as a brick. Either way, it is a worry that an adult, in a position of trust can write such silly articles. Not surprisingly, his article was ridiculed by readers who pointed out the many holes in his argument. The use of urban myths and the usual anti-drug rhetoric made for some dull reading and was not worthy of any serious consideration. The logic was flawed and the assumptions were farcical. He even highlighted the failings of his own solution without knowing it, citing the side effects of prohibition as a factor that needed ... more prohibition. This is standard stuff for anti-drug warriors who fill articles with sound-bite like statements, fear mongering and visions of approaching doom. Since most evidence and research slices their views at the knees they are forced to use emotional hooks, play on the ignorance of the audience and use cherry picked data. The Libs know very well that appearing “tough on drugs” is a vote winner. Being tough on alcohol is not. The Rudd government deserves some praise for focusing on the most serious drug problem we have (alcohol) and wanting a long term strategy. The aim of changing our drinking culture is a brave move considering Australia’s love affair with alcohol and whether it’s working or not is debatable. It might just be too early to tell and will need many more years of smart but controversial policies and a changing attitude from the public. The alcopops strategy is only one small part of an overall plan to implement real and lasting change. It’s also fully endorsed by the leading experts on alcohol and drug abuse and not surprisingly abhorred by The Australian Hotels Association. Most importantly, it’s targeting one of the most dangerous and socially damaging drugs in the world. No amount of hollow rhetoric from the Libs can ever change this fact and to claim that illicit drugs cause more problems is simply disingenuous. I love exposing those like Briggs who go to so much trouble to deceive us. They really deserve it. It’s not just the embarrassment of them looking foolish that drives me, it’s the massive carnage they cause in real life. The insatiable quest of prohibitionist and zealots to push Zero Tolerance laws on the world has cost millions of lives and untold suffering. There are so many families that have been devastated because of a loved one who died from unregulated street drugs or was jailed trying to finance their addiction. There are also the addicts who don’t respond to the available treatments and end up being patients of the prison system. The innocent bystanders of street violence between drug gangs and those affected by corrupt police, lured to the easy money paid by drug dealers. And the ordinary, everyday citizen who is arrested for recreational drug use and cop a conviction beside their name forever. The thousands who have HIV/AIDS or Hep C because some countries do not have needle exchanges. The countless dead from countries like Mexico or Columbia, caught up in the military efforts to stop feeding the incredible hunger of US drug consumers. Every where you turn there are casualties from the "War on Drugs". People like Briggs fuel this carnage and care little about the victims, if at all. Their selfish agenda is always under the guise of fighting the drug scourge and doing what’s best for us. But anyone with an average intelligence who felt so strongly about the issue would have to do at least some research ... and in the process discover the truth. You would think so, wouldn’t you? Now to the fun stuff. Briggs asks if binge drinking is the number one health challenge? His answer is an arrogant, “I think not”. He claims that illicit drugs is the “most significant and dangerous health issue facing young Australians”. This is simply wrong. Alcohol causes 5-10 times the problems of all illicit drugs combined including death. 
Is this an indication of what to expect from Briggs' article? Yep, but there's more ... plenty more.
Using an example of where the “tough on drugs” strategy failed as a reason to be tough on drugs is priceless. Saying, “drugs are cheaper and more accessible than at any time in our history” must surely ring a bell in Brigg’s head. After many decades of prohibition and nearly 40 years of the "War on Drugs", illicit drugs should be priced out of reach for most people and extremely difficult to get. Ironically Briggs points out this failure although the Libs drug policy, which he strongly supports is to dish out even more of the same.
In times past the cost of serious drug consumption was largely prohibitive and underground, but those days are no long gone -Jamie Briggs MP. source: his arse
So hippies in the 60s and 70s didn’t smoke pot? Clubs in the 1980s and 1990s weren’t full of people taking speed and later ecstasy? Parties from the 1970s to 2000 didn’t have the mandatory smell of ganja in the air? LSD or magic mushrooms weren’t tried by young men before now. Having a few pipes before you went out wasn’t standard fare for millions of people over the last 30 years? Where the hell did Briggs get this from? I assume he pulled it out from his arse.
The same survey into ecstasy use showed that 69% of people used ecstasy at nightclubs. Next time you see the queues forming outside nightclubs, remember that statistically more than two out of three patrons who are using ecstasy take it in nightclubs. -Jamie Briggs MP
The media is giving Jamie Briggs some valuable tips to add to his bag of political trickery. A typical News.com.au reader might breeze through this article and come out thinking that 69% of ravers and nightclubbers are under the influence of ecstasy. The sneaky use of statistics in an ambiguous, misleading statement is a classic example of the media and politics working together giving the article some shock value whilst pushing the agenda of the politician.
The availability of such dangerous substances at cheap prices not only risks the health of young Australians but causes violence, assault (in many cases sexual), increased mental illness and dangerous behaviour such as driving under the influence. -Jamie Briggs MP
You are forgiven if you thought the above comment was about alcohol. About 3,100 people die each year from excessive alcohol consumption and about 72,000 people are hospitalised. 80% of night time assaults and half of all reported domestic(including sexual) violence is because of alcohol. Every year, serious assaults resulting from alcohol contributes more than 8,600 hospital admissions and police receive another 62,500 reports of alcohol related assaults. And a third of all road deaths are due to alcohol. Just to top it off, alcohol is responsible for more deaths of young people under 35 than any illicit drug. Is Briggs really being honest by claiming alcohol abuse is less important than illicit drugs? Risky drinking increased from 8.2% in 1995 to 10.3% in 2007 but drug use has actually declined over the last few years.
Alcohol misuse is a significant problem, both socially and economically, to the Australian community. The community generally perceives illicit drugs to be a greater problem because there is always more media attention on drug use, especially heroin, cannabis and ecstasy. In reality, alcohol is ranked second to tobacco as the most preventable cause of health-related harms and death. -Victorian Government Website
You’re getting the picture here. Almost everything Briggs says is exaggerated, a myth or simply wrong. The rhetoric is thick and the standard predictions of doom are everywhere.
Long term abuse of these drugs has significant mental health impacts creating a potential ‘lost generation’ of young Australians due to drug use -Jamie Briggs MP
Every future generation is going to be the “lost generation” according to anti-drug warriors. Funny enough, my generation was doomed once and so was the generation before mine ... and after mine. Of course, there is no actual evidence to prove this except the fear generated by people like Briggs. And there lies the problem ... evidence versus fear mongering. Spreading fear and lies requires no proof and emotional clichés need no explanation.
Talk to any cop on the beat that has to deal with the outcomes of illicit drug use and they will tell you straight just how much trouble this scourge is causing. -Jamie Briggs MP
I bet many cops would say alcohol is the scourge more so than drugs.
We're at the point where we're saying thank God 80 per cent of them are using an illegal drug rather than alcohol, even though in 10 years they'll be suffering manic depressive disorders [...] But we just couldn't deal with that many people affected by alcohol -Queensland Police Officer. News.com.au - Ecstasy helps us deal with drunks, say cops
The police are qualified to give their opinion on the effects of alcohol versus ecstasy on the streets because that’s their job. However, they are not qualified to make medical assessments about the potential harms of MDMA without scientific data. Either is Jamie Briggs as he has obviously not researched the issue properly if at all.
The effects on the health of the consumer are substantial in the short term. While designed to give a ‘buzz’ for a number of hours what they can do to the body is horrific. An overdose can result in psychosis, vomiting, convulsions, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and in many cases death. -Jamie Briggs MP
If Briggs had done his research, he might never had made the above statement. Then again, facts have not stopped him before. Most small doses of any drug causes very little impact on the body. For example, the sinister drug, heroin is basically non toxic and apart from mild constipation and a slow down of the respiratory system, does very little or no damage to the body. Even toxic drugs like amphetamines will not usually cause major problems in small quantities. Abusing a substance is different though and long term use of any drug will normally cause medical issues. Briggs’ vision of demon like substances is simply drug hysteria and using worse case scenarios like an overdose can be applied to nearly all ingestible substances including Aspirin, paracetamol, alcohol, vitamins or coffee.
Add to that the vicious bashings, sexual assaults and break-ins that occur due to illicit drug use and you start to see the community wide impact of these substances. [...] This is not to underplay the dangers of binge drinking. It is a real problem for young Australians and should be addressed. But it should be addressed seriously and not under the guise of a tax grab. Binge drinking should be addressed but not at the expense of the more challenging issue of illicit drug taking by young Australians [...] It is not good enough for us to say ‘oh well young people will always experiment’. We can and should do more to crack down on this great challenge facing young Australians. A tax on lolly water doesn’t do that. -Jamie Briggs MP
And there it is ... one of the major contributions to teenage binge drinking is nothing more than “lolly water”. Again, the Libs give a free pass to alcohol while trying to drive up the public fear of illicit drugs. The drug issue is very important and needs a solid, evidence based strategy not the half-arsed, “feels good” approach of Jamie Briggs and the Libs. And definitely not by lying and deceit. Is this really acceptable from a member of parliament? But what is this article really about? As you can see, there is no scientific basis or factual foundations. It contains mostly biased opinions, personal views and thick political rhetoric at the core. And it glosses over the damage from the main culprit in substance abuse, alcohol. It feels more like political posturing over the proposed alcopops tax rather than a genuine concern about misguided drug policy. Judging from the comments when the article was first published, most readers seem to agree. Unfortunately for Jamie Briggs, his article has probably had the opposite effect to what he intended. Instead of making himself look “tough on drugs” and showing up the alcopops tax as a revenue grab, he has just shown once again, how out of touch the Liberal Party really is. The real worry for Jamie Briggs should be in 10-20 years time when he has to explain to his children and grandchildren how he got it so wrong when there was so much evidence and research contradicting his position.
Too Giggly On Alcopops To Tackle Hard Drugs by Jamie Briggs The Punch June 2009 Australia has the highest rate of ecstasy use in the world. Frightening isn’t it? So what’s being done about it? Like many other policy issues, the PM declared war on drugs but it is more a phoney war than a real one. Hey guys, wanna buy some alcopops? Since being elected the Government has failed to take any significant action on this major health and criminal problem. Instead General Rudd and his loyal lieutenants have sent the troops into the goldmine by introducing a new tax on pre-mixed lolly water rather than sending them to the front line and fighting the real war on illicit drugs. With my best Kevin Rudd impersonation, I will ask myself a question, ‘is addressing the problem of binge drinking in our young people important? Absolutely. But is it the number one health challenge? I think not’. The Rudd Government has taken its eyes of the most significant and dangerous health issue facing young Australians, illicit drugs. Instead it has taken the easy route and pursued a tax grab dressed up as a health policy. There is little doubt our young people face challenges with illicit drugs like never before. This is not only a health issue; it has devastating effects on Australians, families and communities. Drugs are cheaper and more accessible than at any time in our history. Ecstasy tablets can be bought for as little as $15, five years ago the going price was $55. This isn’t based on third-hand rumour, official government reports released last year confirm this. The Courier Mail found nightclub patrons can buy potentially lethal tablets for little more than a couple of beers. In times past the cost of serious drug consumption was largely prohibitive and underground, but those days are no long gone. Drugs are now mainstream in nightclubs and pubs, not just at rave parties and festivals. The same survey into ecstasy use showed that 69% of people used ecstasy at nightclubs. Next time you see the queues forming outside nightclubs, remember that statistically more than two out of three patrons who are using ecstasy take it in nightclubs. So not only are young people faced with peer group pressure, they are also faced with economic pressures, making the decision to dabble so much more attractive. The availability of such dangerous substances at cheap prices not only risks the health of young Australians but causes violence, assault (in many cases sexual), increased mental illness and dangerous behaviour such as driving under the influence. During the recent Easter road blitz the South Australian police found 1.49% of drivers checked, tested positive to illicit drugs. The fledgling testing system only identifies cannabis, methylamphetamine (speed, ice or crystal meth) and ecstasy. There is no safe level of taking these drugs and their effects are frightening. You do not know what is in them, nor where they are made. There is no standard for production. They are often produced in the back sheds of suburbia for criminal syndicates with little care for the outcome to the end user. There is no post sale service for this product. The effects on the health of the consumer are substantial in the short term. While designed to give a ‘buzz’ for a number of hours what they can do to the body is horrific. An overdose can result in psychosis, vomiting, convulsions, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke and in many cases death. Long term abuse of these drugs has significant mental health impacts creating a potential ‘lost generation’ of young Australians due to drug use. Add to that the vicious bashings, sexual assaults and break-ins that occur due to illicit drug use and you start to see the community wide impact of these substances. Talk to any cop on the beat that has to deal with the outcomes of illicit drug use and they will tell you straight just how much trouble this scourge is causing. The total long term damage to Australian families is unknown and unmeasurable. This is not to underplay the dangers of binge drinking. It is a real problem for young Australians and should be addressed. But it should be addressed seriously and not under the guise of a tax grab. Binge drinking should be addressed but not at the expense of the more challenging issue of illicit drug taking by young Australians. Addressing this problem takes a serious commitment and resources with a mixture of education, law enforcement activities and health responses. We need more police on the beat to target the criminals infiltrating our bars and clubs peddling their human misery. We need an increased emphasis to find those responsible for producing and distributing these drugs onto the streets. We need programmes and interventions to help rebuild the lives of those who are caught up by addiction and finally we need better education programmes for our youngsters. It is not good enough for us to say ‘oh well young people will always experiment’. We can and should do more to crack down on this great challenge facing young Australians. A tax on lolly water doesn’t do that.