Are the US Press Mocking The Australian Health Minister ?

Two reports have filtered through from the US in the last 24 hours after Australia’s Greens put forward a plan for a regulated recreational market for adults.

The Marijuana Times commented

“Our job is to protect the health of Australians,” Hunt said. “This action by the Greens risks the health of Australians.” Hunt, like many people who haven’t really looked into the cannabis issue, believes marijuana is a gateway to other drugs, an assertion that has been debunked time and time again.

Read their full report here

Is Recreational Marijuana Legalization Dead in Australia?

Meanwhile over at the New York Times ( Click on image below to read story) they’ve also favorably compared the Greens plan to regulate against Hunt’s somewhat outmoded views on the issue.

Here’s Hunt’s full exchange on 17 April 2018 with journalists as published on his official website.

The language is the usual scaremongering as one would expect.

Tuesday, 17 April 2018

E&OE…                      

Topics: Greens’ proposal to legalise cannabis

GREG HUNT:

The Greens’ proposal for open slather on marijuana is dangerous and medically irresponsible. We know from bodies such as the AMA, the Royal College of Psychiatrists in the UK, from Mental Health Australia, from SANE and so many others, that cannabis has very serious risks in relation to physical health, and in particular, to mental health.

That’s why it’s a highly regulated drug. There are medicinal purposes for medicinal uses, as prescribed by doctors, but this proposal for open slather has two major consequences. The first is the risk of physical and mental health problems. Whether it’s psychosis, anxiety, depression or other items which have been chronicled by the medical authorities, the medical risks are real and significant and important.

Secondly, of course, marijuana’s a gateway drug. The risk of graduating to ice or to heroin from extended marijuana use is real and documented. We’ve seen the victims of crime represented this morning with their comments. We’ve seen the AMA and so many other bodies express their concerns.

As the Government of Australia, our job is to protect the health of Australians. This action by the Greens risks the health of Australians. It should be rejected and they should withdraw it and we will oppose it.

JOURNALIST:

Do you think- the Greens suggest that if it’s licenced that would be a way of monitoring use. Do you see any positive in that at all?

GREG HUNT:

Richard Di Natale has already conceded that cannabis can have an impact on mental health issues. It can actually have an impact on both physical and mental health issues, and the notion of spreading the use of unregulated, uncontrolled cannabis, people growing it in their own backyard, is utterly irresponsible. It’s been rejected by the medical authorities, and on that basis, we do not believe that it’s safe, responsible or something which should be allowed. 

JOURNALIST:

Thousands of people already use cannabis or marijuana. Wouldn’t the Government benefit, perhaps, from taxes?

GREG HUNT:

We’re not going to put the mental health of Australians at risk. If the medical authorities point to increasing evidence, increasing literature, increasing research about the mental health impacts, whether it’s psychosis, anxiety, depression or other elements. Then we have to listen to that body of evidence. The Greens’ argument simply says if it’s difficult to police, we should give up, and that same argument applies to ice and to heroin and to other deeply significant drugs.

JOURNALIST:

The medical profession also would like to see restrictions on refined sugar. That’s a health problem. Why the difference there?

GREG HUNT:

This is a highly regulated drug. It’s used on a very selective basis by the medical profession to assist with medicinal activities, in the same way that you have other highly regulated drugs, such as morphine, which are carefully controlled. That’s the way to manage a product such as this, but open slather is about deep, profound health risks.

Okay, thank you very much.

http://www.greghunt.com.au/Home/LatestNews/tabid/133/ID/4582/Doorstop–Melbourne.aspx

 

Meanwhile in the US, those on the right hand side of politics are now openly supporting a regulated market.

The issues are different, states rights and personal freedoms that do not infringe on the rights of others, are the leading arguments pushing for a regulated market

The right to make lots of money isn’t mentioned, but let’s cut to the chase that’s the elephant in the room.

The LA Times reported this past week

Neal Levine, chairman of the New Federalism Fund, a nonpartisan group that aims to maintain state and local authority over cannabis laws and has worked on policy with Republicans, said that over the years his organization has seen support grow in the GOP.

“Siding with state governments over federal regulation is an important principle of federalism and consistent with conservative values,” Levine said. “The president himself has been a consistent proponent of states’ rights and letting the federal government get out of the states’ way on this issue. We expect our Republican champions on Capitol Hill will continue to lead on this issue and for those numbers to grow.”

He cited the work of, among others, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa), who is the lead sponsor of the Respect State Marijuana Laws Act. The measure, which has more than a dozen Republican cosponsors, aims to prevent the federal government from criminally prosecuting individuals and businesses that are engaging in state-sanctioned activities specific to the possession, use, production and distribution of pot.

Other Republicans who have worked on marijuana legislation include Rep. Tom Garrett of Virginia, who last year introduced the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2017. If passed, the bill would take marijuana off the federal controlled substances list — joining other substances such as alcohol and tobacco.

In addition, several other Republicans have crafted legislation to protect medical marijuana laws, which have been passed in more than two dozen states.

Even so, these measures have stalled in the Republican-controlled Congress. Lawmakers have not made the issue a focal point, instead concentrating on such issues as tax reform.

Levine said it’s only a matter of time before more Republican members of Congress change their tune and make the issue a legislative priority.

…/..

 

“As public opinion shifts, members’ opinions on this are going to shift — I’m a prime example,” Boehner told Bloomberg. “Over these last 10 years, my attitude has changed pretty dramatically on this.”

In October, a Gallup poll found 64% of respondents supported the legalization of recreational use of marijuana in the United States. For the first time, the poll found, a majority of Republicans surveyed — 51% — favored legalization. That number was up from 42% a year before. Meanwhile, 67% of independents supported legalization in the October poll, compared with 72% of Democrats. Other surveys have shown similar results.

Mason Tvert, vice president of communications for VS Strategies, a public affairs firm based in Denver that specializes in cannabis policy, said he expects the numbers will continue to trend upward.

“And that’s going to force politicians — especially Republicans who have been somewhat reluctant — to continue to support the end of marijuana prohibition,” Tvert said.

In recent years, some Republican governors have implemented legalization efforts at the behest of voters.

…/…

“I personally believe that what adults do behind closed doors and on private property is their choice,” Scott said when he signed the legislation. “So long as it does not negatively impact the health and safety of others.”

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