Part of the battle in convincing America to abandon its abstinence only, prohibitionist drug policy is the accepted idea that such a policy is the norm around the world. The American press gives scant coverage to items that show that pursing the drug war, not legalization and regulation, is really the radical policy in most parts of the globe, making drug policy reformers, such as ReconsiDer, seem to be extremists. This This article concerns a "scandal" whereby the equivalent of the Australian drug czar has been found to be connected with a zero tolerance on drugs group. Here in the U.S. our drug czar gives grants to community anti-drug coalitions that provide the political grassroots base for the drug war; while in Australia it is a scandal that their drug czar works with such "radical" (their word) groups.

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PM'S TOP DRUG ADVISER LINKED TO ZERO TOLERANCE GROUP

The prime minister's chief drug adviser served as a director for a radical zero tolerance drug foundation which sought money from the federal government, it was reported today.

The ABC's Four Corners said Australian National Council of Drugs ( ANCD ) chairman Brian Watters joined the board of the radical Freedom from Drugs Foundation in June 2000.

The foundation was based on the ideas of Swedish abstinence organisation Hassela, which promotes prison terms for addicts who do not comply with treatment.

The ABC said Major Watters, a Salvation Army campaigner handpicked by Prime Minister John Howard to lead the drugs council, personally endorsed the foundation's business plan.

The plan said the federal government was bound to support the foundation's approach and offered to give the coalition credit for expected successes in drug treatment if it was re-elected.

"This may flow through to a political opportunity for the Howard government," the ABC quoted the document as saying.

"In fact, we may be able to interest them in a pre-election pledge to devote millions to the cause!"

Major Watters told the ABC he was no longer involved with the foundation and while he never formally disclosed his directorship to the ANCD, he had been open with fellow council members about it.

But several members said he had never mentioned it to them, the ABC reported.

The ABC said Hassela had not received any federal funding and its operations had stalled.

Major Watters was appointed ANCD chairman for another three years in March last year, amid accusations Mr. Howard had stacked the council with supporters of his tough anti-drugs approach.

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URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02.n634.a01.html
Newshawk: puff_tuff
Pubdate: Mon, 01 Apr 2002
Source: Age, The (Australia)
Copyright: 2002 The Age Company Ltd
Contact: letters@theage.fairfax.com.au
Website: http://www.theage.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5