2008, like every year has been full of surprises. In the ever evolving world of drug policy and treatment though, there does remain one constant ... a continuous parade of murky politicians, selfish moralists and dubious opinion writers who share a common goal to demonise drug users at any cost. Any attempt to be sensible and pragmatic about drug use or drug treatment is abhorred by these people and they will go to great lengths to undermine these efforts. In the process, logic and reality is counteracted with carefully constructed propaganda, junk science and claims of moral decay. The problem is that the truth is not on their side and cracks will appear which may expose some farcical and often humorous attempts to appear legitimate. These are serious issues and the anti-drug zealots cause much pain, suffering and death but the sheer absurdities of their actions need to be highlighted. What better way to recognise their actions than to nominate them for an award. So without further ado, let me introduce to you, the first annual edition of The Australian Heroin Diaries - Bucket Head of the Year Awards.
NOTE: These awards are from an Australian perspective and are based on issues involving drug policy and drug treatment. Many nominees are probably guilty of various other deeds but these awards are for drug related issues. I assume I have left out many candidates and events so feel free to add your nominations. These are my personal opinions and if I have upset anyone, I am sorry. If you don't want to be involved in these awards ... don't give me a reason to nominate you.
Worst Strategy from a Country in 2008
Russia: The refusal to introduce methadone maintenance treatment
Runners Up:
•Scotland: The proposal to abandon methadone treatment and introduce abstinence only programs.
•US: The continuing "War on Drugs" e.g. overriding state laws on medical marijuana, lack of Harm Minimisation programs etc.
•UK: Reclassification of cannabis to a class B drug
Worst International Anti-Drug Organisation in 2008
International: Supporting United Nations Drug Initiatives And Legislation (SUNDIAL)
Runners Up:
•International: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime / UNDCP / CCPCJ / INCB
•US: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
•US: Mothers Against Medical Abuse (MAMA) / Helping America Reduce Methadone Deaths (HARMD)
Worst Australian Anti-Drug Organisation in 2008
Drug Free Australia (DFA)
Runners Up:
•Drug Advisory Council of Australia Inc. (DACA)
•National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre (NCPIC)
•Christian Democratic Party
Silliest Comment in 2008
The war on drugs in Australia is working. The Bali Nine are just part of the price
-Miranda Devine. Sydney Morning Herald
Runners Up:
•Illegal drugs and not alcohol are to blame for the anti-social behaviour in Tasmania
-The Australian Hotels Association
•This (brochure) clearly is a message that it is okay to take drugs. For the Health Department to be promoting illegal drug taking to students is offensive and a gross misuse of public money
-Jillian Skinner. NSW Opposition health spokeswoman speaking about the “Choosing to Use” booklet
•Given that the US is making better headway than Australia, in both binge drinking and illicit drug use among its young people, we should be looking more closely at what is working there
-Jo Baxter. Executive Officer - Drug Free Australia
Most Overused Phrase in 2008
Sends the wrong message
Runners Up:
•Cannabis today is not like what it was in the 60s
•Binge drinking
•Tough on Drugs
Biggest Deception in 2008
Exaggerated harms from cannabis use especially increased potency and links to psychosis
Runners Up:
•Exaggerated harms of ecstasy use
•The continuing claim that the Howard Government’s “tough on drugs” strategy with the Australian Federal Police stopped the “heroin epidemic”.
•The Sydney Medically Supervised Injecting Centre is a failure
Biggest Deception from a Person or Group in 2008
Drug Free Australia: Claiming a Zero Tolerance policy is a viable alternative to Harm Minimisation
Runners Up;
•Piers Akerman: Claim that the Kings Cross MSIC is a failure
•Anne Bressington: Claiming that she had much support for compulsory drug testing of students but was actually criticised by many groups who it affected.
•Miranda Devine: Cannabis use is a bigger health issue than alcohol abuse
Worst News.com Comment in 2008
Yet a terrible thought crossed my mind going through this topic. Some of the worst addicted at worst might kill their children in the belief they will get more for their addictions, or at the least will blame the kids for their reduced ability to obtain drugs and alcohol and foist even more and terrible abuse on them.
Posted by: Adrian of Nowra
Topic: Quarantine welfare payments for people convicted of drug offences via a welfare debit card.
Runners Up:
•Wow. Only if this outcome could happen to all drug users! It certainly would "clean up" the world. Perhaps other druggies can learn from this lesson and just say no to drugs. Life is tough on everyone but that doesn't mean resorting to drugs to cope. Druggies and pushers are filthy animals.
Posted by: Steve
Topic: A prostitute who died after injecting cocaine. The two men with her, one who supplied the cocaine, panicked about getting caught with the drugs and didn't ring an ambulance.
•Not sad, Schapelle! What is sad, is that when you were found guilty, the judge couldnt sentence you to death! Unfortunately, you were not busted in China, where your despicable family would have been sent the invoice for the bullet used in your execution! No Santa for this scumbag criminal!
-Posted by: Kim of Do The Time
Topic: Schapelle Corby to miss out on Christmas sentence reduction
•...The Bali Nine took a calculated risk. They took that risk with full knowledge of the potential outcome. If the result is being sat, blindfolded, with a 6 inch square of white cloth pinned over your heart, listening to the metallic clack of rounds being chambered, and enduring the agonizing last seconds of your life as you wait for the shots to come, then that’s just too damn bad. And these people will hear the shots and will be conscious as their lives flow out of them in those last seconds. That’s no bad thing either.
-Posted by: Pete Christie of Paddington
Topic: The Bali Nine
Funniest News.com Comment in 2008
I'd like to say to those people spending huge amounts of money each year on drugs, why don't you have a think about those people suffering in the world who can't afford food, medication or a place to sleep. Compare that to the chemicals, physical and mental harm and burden on society drugs create and see which on is more deserving....
Posted by: Maree from Brisbane
Topic: GBH overdoses at the X-Qlusive dance party in Melbourne
Runners Up:
•The 9 are HUMAN garbage,parasites,bullies+PUS. tHE kind of weak thugs who laugh at people smaller,or alone,in Maccas! Put them on the express elevator to hell! Corby may have been innocent+ was not into the ppoison of herion.Keep some BALANCE.
Posted by: scullcracka
Topic: The Bali Nine
•I blame the touchy feely left wing ALP government who have allowed this behavious to occur. People who are caught with any drugs should be immediately and summarily incarcerated for 30 days hard labour out in the states central west where they can brak rocks, dig holes, etc. No appeals, no phone a friend, nothing. Invite Channel 7, 9 or 10 to film them. Make a reality show out of it. Shame them so that their family and friends know what junkies they are. When they get released, how many of these so called 'professioanls' will still hold their job? Not many I presume. Garbage people like Iktimal Hage-Ali should be washed down the sewer where they belong. 'nuff said!!
-Posted by: Stefano of Sydney
Topic: The ridiculously overdone article by Fiona Connelly regarding Young Australian of the Year contender and Muslim, Iktimal Hage-Ali who was caught with cocaine. The article goes on to dramatise rampant cocaine use amongst Sydney professionals. [Link]
•This story reminds me of vegetarians, they are vegetarian because they don't want to eat animals but if they were just 2 inches tall the animals would have no problem eating the vegetarians.... My point is that the bali 9 are in a bad situation however if it was somebody else they would probably be laughing and wouldn't have a care in the world as they would be out on the streets dealing drugs and robbing people or beating people up however we are in no place to judge them for good or bad, just let the legal system do its thing and get on with your lives.
Posted by: Adam of Melbourne
Topic: The Bali Nine
Worst Suggestion from a Political Party in 2008
WA Liberal Party: Repealing cannabis laws in WA for possession
Runners Up:
•Liberal Party: Revisiting The Bishop Report: “The Winnable War on Drugs”
•SA Independent Anne Bressington: Compulsory drug testing for students in SA
•Labor Party: Welfare payment quarantining for drug users
Worst Decision from a Political Party in 2008
SA Government: Banning drug paraphernalia in SA
Runners Up:
•NSW Labor Party: Health Minister Reba Meagher over reacting to the “Choosing to Use” booklet by pulping all copies
•Labor Party: Welfare payment regulation
•SA Labor Party: Veterans' Affairs Minister, Michael Atkinson rejecting a trial of MDMA for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Major Political Party with the Worst Drug Policy in 2008
Christian Democratic Party
Runners Up:
•Family First
•The Liberal Party
•The National Party
Worst Anti-Drug Article from the Mainstream Media in 2008
Runners Up:
Junk Science Claim from 2008
Cannabis shrinking the brain being proof of it’s danger
Runners Up:
•Drug decriminalisation increases the drug problem
•The Sydney MSIC is not saving lives
•Needle exchange programs do not stop the spread of blood-borne diseases
Most Biased Anti-Drug Journalist in 2008
Miranda Devine
Runners Up;
•News.com editorial team
•Piers Akerman
•Tim Blair
Most Dubious Politician in 2008
Malcolm Turnbull: Leader of the Opposition
Whilst Malcolm Turnbull is urging people to quit smoking, the Libs continue to accept donations from tobacco companies. The coalition is the only political party to still accept tobacco industry donations since Mark Latham ended it for Labor in 2004. Turnbull also denounced cannabis as extremely dangerous after he succumbed to the current popular trend of admitting to cannabis use whilst at university. This dubious trend is just an extension of the Clintoneque, “I didn’t inhale” strategy that increased his popularity whilst not condoning drug use. It seems the public like the truthfulness which lead to a spate of Australian pollies admitting their prior use but condemning it for everyone else.
Runners Up:
•Senator Mathias Cormann: Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Health Administration
Out of nowhere came a media release slamming the government for abandoning the “the critically important war on drugs”. Corman fumbled about with cliché after cliché including this cracker, “Our children don’t need lessons on how to use harmful and illicit drugs. They need to get the clear message that drugs are bad”. To top it off, he asked why the government have ignored the The Bishop Report: “The Winnable War on Drugs”. You have to wonder why we know the answer yet he doesn’t.
•Kevin Rudd: Prime Minister
The lack of drug policies from the government has grown from a curiosity to a major concern. Throwing around the occasional “we are tough on drugs” claim seems to be the only current Labor strategy. Welfare payment quarantining for drug users was bandied about and even the eradication of opium crops in Afghanistan was once high on the agenda. We are still waiting for something sensible and helpful to be put into practice but for now, we are stuck with the continuation of Howard’s Zero Tolerance rhetoric.
•Anne Bressington: Independent Member of the SA Legislative Council
As a well known anti-drug zealot, Bressington continues to her attempts to introduce her Zero Tolerance ideology to South Australia. Against all the evidence and with detrimental consequences to drug users, she steam rolls ahead utilising the tactics and propaganda of other well known moral crusaders.
Most Farcical Religious Anti-Drug Campaigner in 2008
Bill Mullenburg: Culture Watch Blog
Runners Up:
•Gary Christian: Drug Free Australia
•Fred Nile: Christian Democratic Party
•Carly Crutchfield: Scientology
Anti-Drug Propagandist - Rising Star Award for 2008
Darren Marton: Founder of The No-Way Campaign
Runners Up:
•Ryan Hidden: Director of the Recovered Drug Users’ League of SA
•Dr. Jan Copeland: National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre (NCPIC)
•Jade Lewis: Founder of Jade Lewis and Friends
Most Dangerous Anti-Drug Campaigner Internationally for 2008
Antonio Maria Costa(International): Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
Runners Up:
•John Walters(US): Director of National Drug Control Policy/Drug Czar
•Calvina Fay(US): Drug Free America Foundation
•Torgny Peterson(Sweden): International Task Force on Strategic Drug Policy and the Global Institute on Drug Policy.
Most Dangerous Anti-Drug Campaigner in Australian for 2008
Brian Watters
Runners Up:
•Dr. Stuart Reece
•Fred Nile
•Anne Bressington
Low Point in 2008
Continuing assault on Harm Minimisation
Runners Up:
•Kevin Rudd’s insistence on eradicating Afghanistan's opium fields at a NATO meeting which annoyed NATO leaders as just another US influenced non workable strategy [Link]
•S.A. Veterans' Affairs Minister, Michael Atkinson rejecting a trial of MDMA for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and insulting Democrat Sandra Kanck for suggesting it [Link]
*********************************************
The Bucket Head of the Year - 2008
The ultimate anti-drug zealot who made a huge impact on the downfall of humanity and sensibility in 2008
*********************************************
Anne Bressington:
Independent Member of the SA Legislative Council
Runners Up:
•Miranda Devine - Journalist for The Sydney Morning Herald
•Harry Clarke - Economist / Blogger / Right Wing Commentator
•Margaret Court - Patron of Drug Free Australia / TV Evangelist / Faith Healer / Radical Pastor
Well, what can I say, except ... congratulations. For Anne, 2008 was another year of fanciful claims, dangerous laws and continuing attacks on Sandra Kanck.
The list of achievements in 2008 that won Anne Bressington the prestigious Bucket Head of the Year award:
-banned drug paraphernalia in SA including items classed as culturally important and devices made to reduce harm for users including protection from HIV/AIDS
-kept up her push for compulsory drug testing in schools although it was condemned by many of those she claimed as supporters
-called on police to use sniffer dogs and drug testing at schoolies
-kept up a constant barrage of attacks and parliament interruptions on anyone who opposed her views especially SA Democrat, Sandra Kanck
-repeatedly introduced biased and non scientific “evidence’ into parliament to support her dubious claims
And for the history books, she claimed the term 'war on drugs' was coined by the legalisation movement to get people on their side.
Runners up include the obvious selection of Miranda Devine who narrowly missed out on the first position. Miranda has had a cracker of a year with her many anti-drug articles receiving a lot of attention. Unfortunately, it was mostly unwanted attention as she was ripped apart with criticisms of her highly dubious research. Probably her biggest mistake was taking on Dr. Alex Wodak who excels at disproving prohibitionist ideology which she blindly subscribes to. I doubt if any of this really matters to Miranda and she will happily continue on with her myopic anti-drug rants.
Though he has a smaller public profile, Harry Clarke is well known by many who take a keen interest in drug law reform. Unfortunately for him, he is not well known by those who agree with him but those who oppose him. He is such a arrogant, nasty shit who wants to sit above his opposition (being a professor and all) but just can’t seem to get the logic right to help his cause. This usually leads to insults on the drug using, non business like, pinko, leso, lefties aka health and welfare workers, who all want drugs sold to kids at 7-11. As an economist on the public purse, his use of rubbery logic to reach an anti-drug conclusion and his inappropriate comments to those on the front line of treatment should ring some warning bells. He sure makes an excellent case for why we can’t trust anti-drug zealots and his blog entries, media articles and contributions to the ANCD email forum show how far they will go to prove their point.
Last of all but certainly not least comes TV evangelist, Margaret Court. As the patron of Drug Free Australia(DFA) she highlights why DFA has no credibility ... she is a faith healer for god’s sake! She miraculously cures people with cancer, AIDS, tennis elbow and anything else that can’t be proven scientifically during her performance. Then she asks for money. Is DFA really an organisation that we, the tax payer should be funding?
21 comments:
No Christopher Pyne????
He should have a permanent category.
I agree with the rest of them.
Good one Terry,
What a creepy lot they are.
How did they become our moral guardians and keepers of all things right. I wouldn't trust them as far as I could could kick them.
I feel honored to be one of the Most Dangerous Anti-Drug Campaigner Internationally for 2008
I´ll be happy to inform my international colleagues about the honor bestowed upon me.
Happy New Year!
Thanks for the acknowledgement! It's good to know that Drug Free Australia has had such a positive impact.
BTW if you go to www.drugfree.org.au and look at the ANNUAL REVIEW of Drug Free Australia, you will see profiles of some exceptional people who form the Board and Fellows of DFA.
It's a pity that your website is NOT in tune with the majority of Australians who clearly do not agree with your agenda - (Ref: 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey).
In the meantime, DFA will continue to stay in touch with individuals, families and communities across Australia who want to protect their people from the devastation and heartbreak caused by illicit drugs.
Biggest Deception in 2008 -
Exaggerated harms from cannabis use especially increased potency
I'm glad you mentioned this. The AMA tell us that low tar cigarettes are useless because smokers inhale more to meet their cravings and when they have high tar cigarettes they inhale less.
Is this not the same for cannabis?
Or are all dope smokers just drug crazed zombies sucking down as much THC as they can get their greedy little hands on?
Thanks Jo.
In response to your comment:
It's a pity that your website is NOT in tune with the majority of Australians who clearly do not agree with your agenda - (Ref: 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey).
I think there might be a few problems with this survey. To use it as an indication of what Australians want in regards to drug policy is a real worry. Either we are all complete morons or we had problems understanding the questions.
The people surveyed:
-Wanted only 25% of the drug budget for treatment (that's a worry)
-Wanted 40% of the drug budget for law enforcement (even though it has never worked)
-Only 45% approved of alcohol (less than half of Australians approve of drinking alcohol???)
-More people approved of non-medical use of pain-killers(morphine, oxycontin etc) than cannabis use
-Only 2.6% of people associated tobacco with a drug problem
-Only 10.5% of people associated alcohol with a drug problem
-Only 0.3% of people associated pain-killers(morphine, oxycontin etc) with a drug problem
-Only 0.4 % of people associated tranquillisers(Xanax, Valium) with a drug problem
-Only 0.1% of people associated GBH with a drug problem
Does something feel not quite right?
...and
-21% want cannabis legalised.
-1 in 20 want ecstasy, heroin, cocaine, speed legalised
-6.6% approved of cannabis use and 16.9% didn't care either way.
Probably the oddest statistic is that only 6.6% approve of cannabis use but 9.1% smoke it and 21% want it legalised. Go figure.
In response to:
Thanks for the acknowledgement! It's good to know that Drug Free Australia has had such a positive impact.
If the suffering of thousands, family members being ostracised, deaths from overdosing, jailing non violent drug users, suicides from shame, spreading HIV/AIDS etc is a positive impact ... well done.
Doesn't DFA stand for Delusional, Fatuous Assholes? That's what my sources tell me anyway...
Thanks RVB
It used to mean Don't Fart Around-here when I was a kid.
That was a long time ago so maybe DFA has something to do with old farts hanging around too long and annoying everyone.
January 6, 2009
Re: JUGDE TERRY GOOD
Terry,
Thank you for the award and for the honor of being put alongside some of Australia’s most finest human beings. Anti-Drug Propagandist - Rising Star Award for 2008 Darren Marton.
I am thrilled and proud to be called a rising propagandist - because it's a step up from where I come from and I've been called far worse. I never intended to reply to your blogs because there is generally never anything you say that's positive Terry Good, but I had to reply after reading your profile;
About the Author
Terry Wright(Good)
I am a heroin addict. I am not homeless nor do I live in a crowded junkie house. I dwell in suburbia with my partner, two fluffy dogs and a cat. I have a mortgage, a car and go grocery shopping on Friday nights.
Reply (An addict! You must be one of the lucky ones Terry who can control their heroin use. You may like to volunteer for scientific research one day – because I haven’t seen or heard of too many around like you? Do you feel somewhat more superior to other addicts when you put yourself above the homeless addicts or those who live in a crowded junkie house? With comments like that I’m sure some of the junkies around town I met wouldn’t take too kindly to those sorts of comments?
I don't break into houses or sell drugs to survive but rather I design computer information systems. Yes I work and I am considered a professional.
Reply (Again – a rare, but yet model heroin drug user. By the sound of your profile I am thankful that you haven’t had to resort to breaking into houses. I would suspect Terry that you would find it even difficult breaking into a packet of Smith’s Crisps!
I was on methadone but I am now on slow release oral morphine which usually keeps me from using heroin. I don't smoke grass and rarely drink. I don't gamble, commit adultery or break the law (well most laws)... but I sometimes resort to heroin.
Reply (Again another fine example to others because; I don’t smoke grass, I don’t gamble, I don't break the law etc.)
This site is dedicated to recognising heroin addiction as a complex medical issue and the need for a scientific heroin trial in Australia. It also aims to highlight the carnage caused by inappropriate drug policies and the ulterior agendas of the people who support them.
Reply (Not much to say about that one other than, Terry you must have fallen quite hard when you were a kid and bumped your head somewhere mate. In a couple of sentences with your profile you have managed to pass judgment quite harshly upon the very people who you claim to advocate for. (Whilst all the time pointing the finger at others for the very same thing you take offense to - taking the moral ground) Can’t understand that one? I’m glad you weren’t around when I needed the support to lift myself from up out of the gutter, or from one of those crowded junkie houses you so eloquently refer them as. Take the log out of your own eye Terry – before you look at the speck in others.
P.S Let's try and come up with something postive in 2009 Terry - PLEASE, I am beginning to think your a moop!! Happy New Year Terry & don't forget to feed the Pets, that is once you get of the computer.
Darren Marton
Thanks Darren.
Your reply shows exactly why people like you deserve the contempt you get. You have taken one small part of my blog and based your whole view on it. If you bothered to actually read my blog you will find that I rarely use heroin anymore. In fact it says it clearly in the section you are quoting me from.
You will also find that one of my aims is to dispel the stereotype myth you so vigourously promote. Most heroin addicts are NOT homeless and many more are invisible to the public. The image of homeless, loser junkies shooting up in laneways are a minority of heroin addicts but for you to promote the DFA doctrine you need these scary,worst case scenario images to make a splash in the MSM.
To suggest I "have managed to pass judgment quite harshly upon the very people who you claim to advocate for" is a joke, isn't it? Why does explaining my situation degrade other heroin addicts? Simply put, it doesn't and again just shows that you have been trained by your DFA masters in the art of conjuring up a sloppy argument based on assumptions, myths and rhetoric.
Have you read anything I have written at all? Maybe you have but since 90% of scientific and medical research is completely polar to your views, it wouldn't matter what is written ... you have made up your mind. Regardless of the facts, reading anything contrary to DFA dogma will not get through that hard head of yours.
Reply (Not much to say about that one other than, Terry you must have fallen quite hard when you were a kid and bumped your head somewhere mate. In a couple of sentences with your profile you have managed to pass judgment quite harshly upon the very people who you claim to advocate for. (Whilst all the time pointing the finger at others for the very same thing you take offense to - taking the moral ground) Can’t understand that one? I’m glad you weren’t around when I needed the support to lift myself from up out of the gutter, or from one of those crowded junkie houses you so eloquently refer them as. Take the log out of your own eye Terry – before you look at the speck in others.
Ah, I get it now. You admitted you were one of the homeless minority who lived in the gutter or a crowded junkie house. Is this why you want other addicts not in your predicament to suffer via the cruel and inhumane strategies of fellow prohibitionists?
It's not my fault you "Can’t understand that one?" but that's the whole point. You don't understand and instead of admitting it's all too technical for you, you follow the simplistic "feel good" ideology of DFA and co. Boy, they saw you coming a mile off. A high profile sports star without a clue ready to promote whatever they tell you to. No need to understand anything or do some of your own research but just follow their lead. They have groomed you well ... mate.
From your reply, it is clear now why you won the Anti-Drug Propagandist - Rising Star Award for 2008 and you are off to a good start for 2009. Keep up the good work and most importantly, keep your masters happy.
January 7, 2009
Re: TERRY GOOD - SHOW ME THE PLAN !
Special note: I am not affliated with Drugfree Australia nor am I affiliated with any other organisation to set the record straight Terry Good. I distanced myself from them a long time ago.
Terry Good, memoirs of a heroin addict’s dairy! I must confess I find it extremely difficult picturing Terry Good sitting in a holding cell with holes in his arms the size of key holes about to descend into heroin withdrawal. Hang on a minute - nah, but hang on, nah, not Terry Good, the professional addict.
Think about it, a day in the life of an academic professional addict ; sourcing and scour ring for products to sell just to even feel normal, seven days a week, 365days of the year, year in and year out, decade to decade, no birthdays, no Christmas days. I’m not picturing it, can you???
Take a big pause my friends, ah, if only 1/4 of us addicts (junkies – that’s how he likes to refer to them) could have lived the life of a professional addict like Terry Good. All the while maintaining one's dignity with a home, a job, a car, the pets, not to mention the legitimate shopping once a week – ah Terry Good, if only just to shop legitimately for one day - even just to purchase a razor once without having to rip of a bar code. If only it were so easy.
I think Terry Good’s mind has been open for far too long and it needs to be closed for renovations. He is obviously another academia educated beyond his intelligence.
All I can say is;
SHOW ME THE PLAN TERRY GOOD!
It’s all well and good to have all the answers there squire – but where’s the plan on how Terry Good is going to implement it all and save the lives of all the worlds junkies.
I have been around long enough now to learn all the academia jargon Terry Good – document the deliverables, client centered approaches, and my favorite, EVIDENCE BASED OUTCOMES!!! Come on Terry, you can do it. You know the score, 96% of all us know that 69% of all evaluations are made up on the spot. You’ve got the upper hand my friend. Just smudge and fudge. Come on – you can do it.
My challenge to you Terry Good is! Can you please document for us, the public, a 2 to 5 year strategic plan with all of your aims and objectives on how you’re going to legalise and administer heroin please. Just post it on your website, come on, it’s not that hard. You’ve posted that many things on your web site most would think you wouldn't have trouble posting a letter to Santa by the looks of it, and Santa actually even replying to it.
Who will administer the heroin TERRY GOOD? The government sector or the private sector?
Who decides on the level of dose TERRY GOOD? Will it be the client's just like the methadone program?
At what age will the criteria be set to for perspective uses to engage in heroin use TERRY GOOD?
Come on TERRY GOOD – SHOW US THE PLAN.
P.S If you were to accept the challenge to which I doubt, don’t let it take up to much of your time though mate. You have to work remember whilst all the time managing to keep your web site ticking over, which looks like to the average punter it would take probably 5 of Bill Gates best just to keep it ticking over for a week. Go figure!!!
P.S.S.TERRY
Don’t forget to feed the pets.
TERRY,GET OFF THE COMPUTER.
Terry you’re neglecting the pets.
GET OFF THE COMPUTER. NOW!
And feed the pets.
Darren Marton
Hey Daz, you're getting a little excited.
I have never suggested the open sale of heroin. That's just another wild assumption from you and a common ploy from frustrated prohibitionists who are losing an argument against drug law reform.
[sigh]
Nothing to see here folks. Carry on.
Congratulations Terry for having the brevity to create a blog such as this and recognising Ms Bressington for what she has become. A prohibitionist zealot who pursues policies that ultimately result in more harmful consequences for people who use substances prohibited by the parliament. Ms Bressington is herself a smoker but purports to be an expert on breaking the cycle of 'addiction'.
It is hard to argue with a mother who had to bury her daughter so prematurely but for Ann to fail to recognise that people who fatally overdose on heroin typically do so because of fluctuating purity as a result of its contraband status is equally tragic.
Prohibitionists contend that the world would be so much worse off if people who use drugs were not criminalised for doing so but in stating as much fail to recognise the flaws in the current approach. between 60 and 70% of people incarcerated in Australia are inside for a drug related offence, 7 million Australians have used an illicit drug at some time in their lives and our courts are months behind schedule because of heavy caseloads, the majority of which are for drug related 'offences'.
I am not advocating that anybody who has not already done so be encouraged to try any form of intoxicant whatsoever. I would argue however, that the prison system is the last place to which we should be sending people who take drugs. Talk to anyone in correctional services, eitherb inmates or screws and you will find that drug use is rife in our prison system. If it is not possible to keep narcotics out of an environment so heavily secured and with such intensive constant surveillance, how do prohibitionists think we will keep Australia drug free.
Finally, if drugs are so bad Ms Bressington, why are you a smoker and why did I see you enjoying a coffee the other day? A drug is a drug is a drug. Congratulations on the buckethead award if anyone is blind in relation to sensible policy approaches on this issue it's Ann!
Thanks Trav.
Ah, so Anne is a drug addict(smoker).
Imagine for a minute if we had drug policies based on actual harms of substances. Tobacco would be illegal and cannabis would be legal:
Unluckily If Anne was caught using tobacco, she world have had problems getting into parliament and would be just another good-for-nothing druggie.
Luckily for Anne, drug testing is not yet mandatory and those dangerous tobacco smokers can remain hidden whilst being teachers, politicians, doctors.
Unluckily, if she found it hard to give up, tobacco now only came in super expensive, small plastic bags from your drug dealer and buying filters, rolly papers or rolling machines is illegal because some goose banned drug paraphernalia.
Luckily for Anne, drug policies are now based on the actual harm of the substances and she can relax by vaporising the less dangerous and legal substance called cannabis (alcohol is banned).
Unluckily, if she was caught using tobacco a few times and was in jail to help treat her addiction. It would be hell trying to stay off drugs when all around her prisoners were illegally using tobacco.
Luckily for Anne, there would be law reformers who are arguing that prohibition is dangerous and forces tobacco users to mix with hard drug users.
Unluckily for Anne, the same goose who banned drug paraphernalia, has a position of power and will never listen to reason or the experts.
Luckily for Anne, she can attend the nicotine clinics and get her legal dose of nicotine via a patch each day.
Unluckily for Anne, that goose in parliament wants to shut down nicotine treatment and send everyone to an abstinence only program like at Shay Louise House.
[Back to reality]
Luckily for Anne, our drug policy is NOT based on logic or reason and she can continue to kill herself legally, free from moralists, politicians and the media.
Terry Wright... you're a loser.. you've got no idea.. put your head in the bucket and do us all a favour and be quiet!
Anonymous, would you care to leave your name or just schoolyard style posts lacking any substance (if you'll pardon the pun) whatsoever?
Thanks Trav.
Need I say more?
Wow! Go Darren. If Terry "bumped his head", you've had an untreated subarachnoid haemorrhage for quite some time. Not affiliated with DFA? Dude. You're on the front on their website and by extension readers of their "newsletters" assume pulp fiction semantics like "cannabis addict" [I think even you can see the insult to actual addicts in that one] is supported by your name, success and image. My, how the mighty have fallen. Bressingtons Toy Boy tried that one also. Denied responsibility for the use of his name and history in parliament during the verbatim creation of
Anns illusion.
If you aren't affiliated, then they are profitting from your image. I know where my energy would be going. So, excuse my nosy approach but if your past career, recovery and image - and by extension it's use in promoting DFA bible studies - is not under your control why attack someone who can attenuate the very dynamics that expose the paper tiger approach such as Jo Baxters reply?
They say one of the best ways to defeat your critics is to be happy with who you are. Whatever latent hatred elicited those outbursts, it surely isn't down to content here. Holes the size of key holes? WTF?!! And please tell me you're not so thick to think a blog takes the head of Microsoft x 5 to run.
Basically, Darren's not coping too well. He can't get his picture and name from DFAs control, which has reawakened feelings of hopelessness and the unfairness of the world so takes it out on Terry. At least we know one thing. Once DFA suck you in, they have 100% control. Be a man and get your name and face off the front of that child abusing religious lobbyist site. Truth is, Terry just has more guts and control than you ever did - pussy!
Good choice on Ann von Bressington, Terry methinks. I think you let her off easily. I don't have much respect for Freudian psych' but colleagues who do, to a person pull no punches. Ann knows she's responsible for her kids death, and thinks she can create the world in which selfish, cold and indifferent parents can 'get away' with psychologically abusing their kids with whacko religious stuff. Ann can do 2 things. Admit her parenting failed her daughter. Or, act as if she's in a parallel dimension and attack all those other kids who made it through. Harsh? Cruel? Maybe. Nature isn't fair - only real. Get help before ya gun, Annie. Have another cigarette and sook about Nicks success. Just imagine all the water in the basin he now oversees - whilst you honed in on bong water. Sigh - whatta mess.
As for Jo, well it's an honour to see a reply from the crumpled 1970's cut blazer herself, but it's the same monotone repetition fellow ANCD board members are fed up with. Like an iPod shuffle stuck on repeating a corrupt file. It's not Jo who must assume responsibility, nah - she's an innocent merely helping promote the 2007 household survey. They don't agree with Terry? Oh, pardon moi. So Jo, what is it that "the majority of Aussies" think: From DFAs site:
* 50 per cent of respondents said they would support regulated heroin injecting rooms
* 70 per cent supported legalising cannabis for medical reasons,
* 65 per cent looked favourably on needle and syringe programs.
Jo also acts in dissonance to government policy and supports ex users talking to students. The government refuses Warrick Cappers stunt double getting near students because - you guessed it it sends the wrong message. Cappers double was told to - er, piss off. So, runs to DFA who get him a gig in Xtian schools, who now refuse to comment.
http://standard-messenger.whereilive.com.au/news/story/schools-ignore-dept/
We all know Jay is flogging her religious "cures" and complaining because the gov' won't fund her magic. Healy is also disrupting established programs to help people unable to be "cured" by Jesus - or was 5 mths ago;
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24372366-952,00.html
Well done Terry. If anything, we've learned two or three things. Marton has a dangerous temper - hardly safe to leave around school kids. Despite claims, has done nothing to restore his reputation which says as much about DFAs small print and true intentions than BS claims to help people. "Using" people is more accurate. The NRL followed through and now can not be found on DFAs website.
LOL!!!
Thanks Anon for such an enjoyable read. Really fantastic and insightful comments.
I have spoken to Darren via email and he explained a few things to me which made me think. I have no doubt now that Darren has the best of intentions. I think he feels trapped between doing what he thinks is right and the intense propaganda DFA burned into his brain. I just hope his uses his own judgement from now on to determine how he continues with his work. Teaching kids that drugs can be dangerous is a great cause but it needs to be factual. Most kids will discover for themselves the truth and if it vastly differs to what they have been taught, they will simply dismiss all anti-drug education as just more adult lecturing.
BTW, I love the descriptions of Bressington, Baxter and co. I really did "Laugh Out Loud" (LOL).
Terry Wright and co...you are all losers... I am not going to waste my time commenting on this useless nonsense...i wonder if any of you have children of your own? if you do, then post some information on what it would feel like watching your child shoot heroin into their veins in front of you. I can't wait for that moment.. then you can be the expert on telling all of us what to do, feel, expect. And if you have children and do this then you are bigger idiots that i first thought. Period!
Anonymous
"I am not going to waste my time commenting on this useless nonsense..."
Oh dear. The irony is just killing me!
"i wonder if any of you have children of your own? if you do, then post some information on what it would feel like watching your child shoot heroin into their veins in front of you. I can't wait for that moment."
Why would you wish this on anyone? You sound a bit screwy.
Your confusing comments don't make sense. What has having children of my own got to do with anything? I think you might be angry with facing the truths that don't fit in with your own views.
You seem to suggest that only someone with a child who has abused heroin is worthy of making comments about drug abuse. And that's the problem. Suddenly that someone is an expert and mother knows best. What about a parent who's child gets sick ... does that make them a doctor? The fact is most parents who have drug abusing children know nothing about the issue except their own experience and that of others in a similar position. They don't magically become addiction experts with a PHD in medicine who understand scientific, evidence based solutions. In their emotional state, it's very easy to adopt the simplistic but counter productive, "Just Say No" mentality. Drug abuse is not a moral issue of right and wrong but a medical problem.
If you don't like the content here, try the DFA website. It has enough BS and lies to keep you reading for a year.
Post a Comment