Pubdate: Wed, 26 Mar 2003
Source: West Australian (Australia)
Copyright: 2003 West Australian Newspapers Limited
Contact:  http://www.thewest.com.au
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/495
Author: Robert Hicks

DRUG SUMMIT WAS MISLED

BEFORE State Parliament is a Bill to tolerate cannabis growth and use. The 
basis of this Bill is a recommendation from the Drug Summit suggesting that 
the Government should adopt legislation that "is consistent with 
prohibition with civil penalties".

However, it has now become clear that the Drug Summit delegates were 
misled. In the summit's facts and figures paper it was reported that there 
had been no cannabis-related deaths in WA. This is a significant and 
serious error, if not deception of the Drug Summit delegates. The 
Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that in 1997-2001 there had been 60 
WA deaths where cannabis has been a contributing factor. Indeed, a recent 
report from VicRoads Safety Department shows that cannabis intoxication has 
been responsible for 4.3 per cent of road fatalities.

The State Government has introduced a Bill based on a recommendation from 
the Drug Summit, a recommendation that was obviously ill conceived as a 
result of misinformation provided at the summit.

I ask the State Government: what is more important, saving lives or 
unclogging the court system?

ROBERT HICKS

Drug Summit delegate

Kalgoorlie
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MAP posted-by: Beth