Skip to main content

Australia: Drugs Are "Evil," Says Prime Minister

Submitted by Phillip Smith on (Issue #506)
Consequences of Prohibition
The Drug Debate
Politics & Advocacy
Politics Outside US

Australian Prime Minister John Howard launched a harsh attack on drugs and drug users as he campaigned in Brisbane Wednesday -- and he didn't spare marijuana. He also claimed that his harsh anti-drug stance has been vindicated by swings in Australian public opinion.

Howard has always been a drug war zealot and stalwart foe of any liberalization of drug laws, but what set him off this week was a scandal surrounding an Australian soccer star and an incident in New South Wales where young children at a school playground are suspected of having ingested ecstasy tablets. The problems could be at least partially addressed by semantics, Howard suggested.

"I think one of the things we have to do is stop glamorizing them by calling them recreational drugs or party drugs. All drugs are evil," the prime minister opined. "I have for 11 ½ years preached a policy of zero tolerance. It was ridiculed eight or nine years ago, even by people in my own party. They were wrong. And many people in the Labor Party were wrong."

Howard also patted himself on the back for standing up to a mysterious "they." "They wanted to legalize marijuana," he said. "I was always opposed to that. At long last the community, in some ways, has come to its senses on marijuana."

Australians need to change their attitudes about drugs, Howard chided. "They are evil, all of them, and there should be an uncompromising social condemnation of drugs," he said. "Why can't we have the same attitude towards drugs that a large section of the community has developed towards tobacco?" he asked.

News Brief

This work by StoptheDrugWar.org is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International

Comments

Anonymous (not verified)

Australians need to change their attitudes about drugs, Howard chided. "They are evil, all of them, and there should be an uncompromising social condemnation of drugs," he said. "Why can't we have the same attitude towards drugs that a large section of the community has developed towards tobacco?" he asked.

Kaw Valley Kid asks,"Um, isn't tobacco also a drug?"

Does he feel that caffeine and alcohol are evil too, or is he just a big mouthed hypocrite?

Sat, 10/20/2007 - 9:10am Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

Yes, he is just a big mouthed hypocrite,
and a BLASPHEMER, too.
How dare he call a plant evil when our Creator
called it "good" after finishing creating the plant kingdom
on one of the creative days.
He said: "Behold, I give you every herb".
(for the service of mankind)
These sacrilegious jokers like John Howard
have a lot of GALL to call something God
declared PERFECT, to be "Evil".
John Howard is going to Hell,
along with all the rest of the WEED Christians!
(see Jesus' parable of the Wheat & Tares. ain't it ironic?)

Sun, 10/21/2007 - 2:21am Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

"Howard chided, 'They are evil, all of them, and there should be an uncompromising social condemnation of drugs, all of them'"

so, am i supposed to believe the PM doesn't use caffeine or aspirin or antibiotics?

we really need to get beyond 1930s moral panic and prohibitionist attitudes...

Sun, 10/21/2007 - 3:51pm Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

stop putting this stupid ad on the website that australia.SSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

Wed, 04/08/2009 - 5:05pm Permalink
Anonymous (not verified)

as much as despise johnny.

i AGREE that DRUGS are EVIL.
too many lives have been destroyed and zero tolerance is the best way to go.

*note that using the term "drugs" the ex-pm means substances such as weed and meth. not panadol.

Tue, 05/19/2009 - 8:24am Permalink

Add new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
About text formats
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.