Pubdate: Sun,  2 Mar 2003
Source: Courier-Mail, The (Australia)
Copyright: 2003 News Limited
Contact:  http://www.thecouriermail.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/98
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

ECSTASY OVER THE COUNTER

ECSTASY and speed would be freely available over the counter under a radical
NSW Greens policy.

And heroin would be given to registered addicts in regulated quantities for
use in a string of safe injecting rooms across the state. 

The party wants to remove criminal penalties for personal drug use and
establish licensed drug outlets to import, manufacture and sell drugs. 

Details of the controversial policy are not included in the party's campaign
literature for the March 22 state election, where the Greens are expected to
receive their largest ever share of the vote in NSW. 

Instead, the party is promoting its policies on education, development, the
environment and against the war with Iraq. 

However, the drug liberalisation plan has been official party policy since
last September and was updated in January. 

The Greens are hoping to win their first ever NSW Lower House seat - in Port
Jackson - with candidate Jamie Parker.

Mr Parker yesterday stood by the policy, which he said was aimed at
generating debate. 

"It is clear current drug prohibition laws are not working," he said. 

"The policy is about regulated and medically-supervised distribution. We
need to reform our drug laws." 

NSW Greens convenor Geoff Ash said the party believed drug use was a health
rather than a criminal issue. 

"It is the party's view that prohibition has failed," Mr Ash said. 

"We'd rather have regulation." 

The policy was revealed last week during an investigation by The Sunday
Telegraph into the State's fastest growing political party. 

The policy supports monitored provision of specified drugs in regulated
quantities which would carry labelling explaining side effects. 

So called "party drugs", including ecstasy and speed, would be sold in
licensed drug shops by medically-qualified staff at prices which would
undercut the black market. 

Heroin would be available to registered users in regulated quantities and a
string of safe injecting rooms would be set up across the state. 

Police sniffer dogs would be banned and police would be forbidden from using
helicopters to search for marijuana crops on the grounds that they invade
privacy, create noise pollution and cause livestock to panic. 

The needle and syringe exchange program would be extended to include
wide-bore needles, which were banned three years ago to stop addicts
injecting themselves with methadone syrup. 

Pharmacies would serve as testing laboratories where users could check the
quality and purity of their drugs. 

With the fading popularity of the Australian Democrats, the Greens have
become the undisputed third force in NSW politics and the fastest growing
party in the state. 

A Newspoll last week gave the Greens 7 per cent of the vote across the state
- - double their support in the last election. 

In a bid to broaden its appeal, the party has banned images of trees from
its promotional material and is standing candidates in all 93 Lower House
seats. 

Other unpublicised Greens policies include a charter of rights for prisoners
and a ban on keeping caged birds as pets. 

Mr Ash said the party had not tried to hide its drugs policy. 

"The material on campaign brochures was chosen because of its importance,"
he said. 

The Sunday Telegraph investigation last week prompted Greens MLC Ian Cohen
to announce limited details of the party's drug policy late on Friday. 

Mr Cohen claimed the policy was supported by St Vincents Hospital Alcohol
and Drug Service director Alex Wodak. 

But Dr Wodak yesterday appeared to be limited in his support for the policy
and told The Sunday Telegraph he had reservations about some aspects. 

"It's premature to advocate the provision of speed on a regular basis," he
said. "However, I support scientific research into the prescription of
amphetamines." 

The party hopes to increase its presence in the NSW Upper House to three
representatives. It also stands a chance of winning its first Lower House
seat in the inner-western seat of Port Jackson where Greens candidate Jamie
Parker is taking on the Labor Party's Sandra Nori. 

Mr Parker is the communications director of Naturopathica - a therapeutic
goods company best known for the product Horny Goat Weed. 

According to the party's membership figures, there are more than 2500
financial members of Greens in NSW, double the number registered during the
1999 state election. 

The Greens are also hoping to win the Sydney seat of Marrickville and the
Wollongong seat of Keira. 

The party has increased its presence in local government, with more than 25
elected councillors.
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