Pubdate: Sun, 03 Mar 2013
Source: Herald Sun (Australia)
Copyright: 2013 Herald and Weekly Times
Contact: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/opinion/letter
Website: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/187
Authors: Matt Johnston and Annika Smethurst
Page: 6

CALL TO END DRUGS 'WAR'

New Party to Seek Legal Changes

A HEROIN addict who is the son of Australian Democrats founder the 
late Don Chipp, will launch a new political party today aimed at 
ending Australia's "war on drugs".

Greg Chipp, 57, said his party, Drug Law Reform Australia, was not 
pro-drugs, but would push for a debate on harm minimisation and for 
the decriminalisation and regulation of cannabis.

Mr Chipp said politicians had failed to deal with the issue and it 
was time for a change to help addicts.

' ' We are in favour of regulating and taxing the use of marijuana, 
and then putting those dollars back into health services for those 
poor people who become addicted," he said.

"Addicts would be treated as having a health problem."

He said treating cannabis like alcohol would result in tight 
regulation, and sales at pharmacies could be considered.

He said harder drugs would be treated differently.

Mr Chipp, who lives in Caulfield, said Drug Law Reform Australia 
would remain a single-issue party, but more detailed policies would 
be released closer to the election.

The idea of changing laws with regard to some drugs shot to 
prominence last year when the eminent Australia21 group called for an 
end to the war on drugs because it had failed to reduce harm. It 
failed to get traction with either major party.

Mr Chipp's addiction to heroin led to him being convicted in 1996 of 
defrauding Medicare of more than $20,000.

He said he wanted to show people in the throes of addiction that they 
could recover and make a contribution to society.

"I believe the Australian public is much more receptive to reasoned 
argument than the major parties give them credit for," he said.

But the launch of Drug Law Reform Australia has angered some 
anti-drug campaigners.

Director of The No-Way Campaign, Darren Marton, said Australia had 
never had a war on drugs and harm minimisation was introduced to 
legalise drugs.

"Our greatest thinkers and leaders across the land can't even come up 
with any real solutions to combat under-age drinking, and the ever 
increasing challenge we face with alcohol," Mr Marton said.

"Introducing cannabis and other illicit drugs into the mix, and to be 
made readily available, will make alcohol look like a tea party."
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