The way in which the recent "Inquiry into the manufacture, importation and use of amphetamines and other synthetic drugs (AOSD) in Australia" has been used by some to progress their irresponsible agenda, is very dangerous”, says Jo Baxter, Executive Officer for Drug Free Australia.

Much in the joint Parliamentary Committee’s report is sound, particularly the recommendation “that public education campaigns for illicit drugs be factual, informative and appropriately targeted. The Committee also recommends that such campaigns seek input from young people, and take account of user experiences of amphetamines and other synthetic drugs (AOSD”).

Certainly Australian’s should be shocked at the report’s findings that reveal that our young people “consume 100,000 ecstasy tablets every week and consumption is the highest in the world”.  However this is not a time to condone the use. If ever there was a time to introduce effective educational campaigns, combined with stronger penalties for the dealers, it is now, says Ms Baxter.

Proponents of ‘pill testing’ really miss the whole point. They are effectively sending three dangerous messages to young people

1. it’s safe (and therefore okay) to take illicit drugs
2. it’s okay to break the law. It’s okay to let dealers continue to deal!
3. that drugs in their pure form aren’t harmful.

According the UN’s 2006 World Drug Report, ecstasy is not the only drug being abused in record amounts in Australia.  

Sweden abandoned harm reduction/minimization as it completely ‘waters down’ the message about the dangers of these drugs. It replaced it with a coordinated policy of health care, prevention education and law enforcement. After being the world’s worst in illicit drug use, it now has the best record of all OECD countries. And guess what? Australia has the worst!

Let’s start implementing a drug policy that refocussed on prevention and that is unequivocally clear to our young people – these drugs kill or debilitate the mind and, destroy families.

Pill testing is absolutely the wrong message for our young, and is only playing into the hands of the drug dealers!