Pubdate: Thu, 23 Jan 2014
Source: Herald Sun (Australia)
Copyright: 2014 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: Jessica Marszalek and Michelle Ainsworth
Page: 21

PARENTS' BAD HABITS

Mixed Messages on Booze Just Stir the Pot

HYPOCRITICAL parents are teaching their children the dangers of drugs
while drinking to unhealthy excess and smoking deadly tobacco,
according to a federal MP.

Greens health spokesman Richard Di Natale has joined several
politicians to argue alcohol is just as dangerous as marijuana,
despite it being widely accepted and legal.

"It's no wonder that some kids are confused when they see people
smoking a drug, and drinking a drug, sometimes to excess and sometimes
causing harm, and those same people are telling people not to use
drugs," the doctor and former drug and alcohol clinician said.

His comments follow US President Barack Obama's remark that marijuana
was no more dangerous than alcohol and about as bad as tobacco.

Senator Di Natale said he had tried cannabis - just like US presidents
Obama and George Bush and about 50 per cent of people his age.

"At a community level, it's obvious that both tobacco and alcohol is
responsible for far more harm (than marijuana)," he said.

Both caused a range of diseases, while alcohol led to drink-driving
and violence, like one-punch deaths, he said.

In contrast, the harm in smoking marijuana was mostly in getting a
criminal record.

He said he would like to see personal use of marijuana dealt with by a
fine, rather than through the courts, and parents should be far more
careful about the messages they gave

"We've got to have a serious look at our drinking culture and accept
that it's unhealthy," Senator Di Natale said.

Victorian opposition health spokesman Gavin Jennings said marijuana
and alcohol could lead to "a lot of misery" and the negative impacts
of both could be seen in every community in Australia.

"In that regard (Mr Obama) is correct, in terms of immediate and
drastic consequences you could find evidence on both levels to prove
him right and prove him wrong," he said.

"There's good and bad on both sides of this argument and the real
issue is for individuals to not allow themselves to be exposed to the
risks of either substance."

Victorian Greens health spokeswoman Colleen Hartland said alcohol
posed as much danger to users as marijuana. "Everything I read about
alcohol says that it's an incredibly dangerous drug, it's just that
it's legal," Ms Hartland said. "I think both drugs have equal problems."
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