|
Newsbrief:
Barbarism
in
Office
--
Australian
Mayor
Calls
for
Lethal
Injections
for
Drug
Users
10/3/03
The mayor of Port Lincoln,
South Australia, has been quoted as saying injection drug users should
be given deliberate overdoses as a way of cutting down on drug abuse.
Reacting to reports of higher drug use rates on the state's Eyre Peninsula,
on whose coast Port Lincoln sits, Mayor Peter Davis told the Australian
Broadcasting Corporation Tuesday that a local needle exchange program was
partially to blame, then added that its users should be killed.
"I don't have a problem with
the free needle exchange but the drug addict who wants to exchange a needle
should be given a lethal injection," he said. "You want the trip
of your life, in fact the last trip of your life? Not a problem,
come on in and we'll deal with you."
This week's mayoral outburst
marked a return to an old theme for the crotchety official. A little
more than three years ago, despite his protestations this week that he
doesn't have a problem with the needle exchange, the impending opening
of the Port Lincoln Hospital exchange provoked Davis to spout off in similar
terms.
"I object to offering handouts
to drug addicts," he told the Advertiser. Addicts should be given
"three times the lethal dose," he suggested. "I don't see why the
tax-paying community should be effectively held to ransom by the drug industry.
We don't need the riff-raff; game's over."
Davis pointed to a 30% increase
in usage of the exchange as evidence that it is causing the increase in
drug abuse, but the Drug and Alcohol Council of South Australia Wednesday
rejected that claim. Jason White, the council's director of treatment
and rehabilitation services, told the Advertiser there is no evidence to
support Davis' claim. Such talk only worsens the situation, he said.
"Comments like these will
only antagonize drug users and likely drive them away from health services,"
White said. "That's a negative for the users, but also the whole
community because we need people to cooperate to reduce the problems associated
with drug use."
-- END --
|
Issue #305, 10/3/03
Editorial:
Rush Limbaugh and Oxycontin |
Hurwitz
Arrest Galvanizes Opposition to Justice Jihad Against Pain Doctors |
Swiss Marijuana
Legalization, Prescription Heroin Blocked by Parliament |
"Rough
Riders" Go Free For Now: Suburban Jury Fails to Convict Oakland Police
Rogues |
Drug
Czar Office Safe for Now: House Votes for Five More Years of Same
Old Drug War, Senate Vote Pending |
Newsbrief:
Hemp Food Industry Sees Looming Victory in DEA Battle |
Newsbrief:
New Hampshire Supreme Court Says Garbage is Protected Property |
Newsbrief:
Canadians Smuggling Marijuana in Garbage Exports to United States |
Newsbrief:
Alaska Marijuana Initiative Back on Track |
Newsbrief:
Eleven Years for Selling Baking Soda |
Newsbrief:
Barbarism in Office -- Australian Mayor Calls for Lethal Injections for
Drug Users |
Newsbrief:
New South Wales Medical Marijuana Approval |
Newsbrief:
This Week's Corrupt Cops Story |
DRCNet
Temporarily Suspending Our Web-Based Write-to-Congress Service Due to Funding
Shortfalls -- Your Help Can Bring It Back -- Keep Contacting Congress in
the Meantime |
Perry Fund
Accepting Applications for 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 School Years, Providing
Scholarships for Students Losing Aid Because of Drug Convictions |
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Calendar
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