Is cracking down on the drug problem in Australia helping or hurting? That’s the question New South Wales’ Police Minister Tony Grant is asking his government. After an unidentified woman’s non-lethal overdose at this weekend’s Field Day, speculation has arisen that recent drug crackdowns might be making matters worse.
Last month, police charged 35 people at Sydney’s “Knockout Circuz” for drug possession and supplying, but that was in response to two patrons who died and 20 who were hospitalized at this year’s Adelaide stop at Stereosonic Festival. After the tragic deaths, multiple calls for personal responsibility were issued to try and prevent more overdoses among festivalgoers, but the problem still remains.
“We’re not going to set up a regime testing for something that’s illegal to see if it’s safe to ingest or not.” – Tony Grant, ABC Radio
Grant went onto to say that he couldn’t understand why anyone would want to take the crude pills made with chemicals like rat poison and other cleaning agents, but his most recent statements seem to contradict and therefore miss the point of the whole war on drugs in Australia.
While it would be nice to not have to worry about illegal substances at all, the fact of the matter is that they exist and they’re not going anywhere. Rather than instill harsh penalties and fear into festival goers while letting others slip through the cracks and go unchecked, they should give people the tools needed for the personal responsibility they keep encouraging others to practice. Preventing deaths and creating a safer environment for citizens should be everyone’s top priority.
Source: Stoney Roads
