The head of a taskforce hoping to reduce the epidemic of ice abuse destroying families in Geelong – and the country – has suggested legalising the drug in order to fight it.
The suggestion has since been slammed as “madness” by Assistant Minister for Health Fiona Nash.
Geelong’s Our Town’s Ice Fight project officer Tony Francis told the Geelong Advertiser on Tuesday “the idea is so radical it might just work.”
“We need to have a proper debate about this, without the discussion being hijacked by self-interested groups. We need to have the conversation.”
The drug would be regulated and consequently safer, he said, causing dealers to lose profits and also reduce petty crime.
“Crime would drop big-time because people won’t need to go robbing and thieving from cars and the like to get money to pay dealers and get ice,” he said.
Senator Nash has since said legalisation of the drug will never pass under a coalition government.
“Ice literally breaks down the neural pathways in the brain. Ice ruins memory, concentration and focus. Ice ruins the health of users,” said Senator Nash in a media release.
“I’ve been open to new suggestions and understand a range of measures are needed. Education is key – we must teach our young people about the dangers of ice. There’s no need to exaggerate the message – the truth is scary enough.
“However, legalising the drug would send the message that ice is not dangerous. This is the wrong message to send. Legalising what is arguably the worst drug Australia has seen is madness.”
The Abbott government established the National Ice Taskforce earlier this year to advise the Coalition on how to tackle the ice epidemic sweeping the country.
A new national hotline has since been established by the federal government under the “Dob in a Dealer” campaign, which has received $1 million in funding.
However critics claim the country already has this resource in Crime Stoppers.
