Greens Spin Doctor Upset with ICE

Hi SoS Editor,

Your headline about The Greens drugs policy is as misleading as that of The Daily Telegraph, and defamatory of our Greens candidates. I wonder if you have looked at the policy or just taken your story from the Telegraph. "Is that the truth or did you read it in the Telegraph?"

The Greens policy is for the removal of criminal sanctions for personal use of drugs and that criminal penalties are to be retained for the production, importing or commercial supply of drugs. To portray that as a blanket decriminalisation of drugs is not accurate reporting. The Greens do not encourage drug use, we believe that users should be directed to treatment programs and rehabilitation rather than prison for using drugs.

We acknowledge that the war on drugs through prohibition failed long ago and new strategies need to be found to prevent crime and tragedies caused by drugs like ice. The current social tragedies relating to drugs are occurring even though the prohibition philosophy has been implemented for decades. It would be appreciated if your headline could at least be accurate. Greens to decriminalise personal use of drugs is more accurate, and reporting of retention of criminal penalties as outlined would be fair too. The inaccuracy damages the credibility of your website.

Our policy can be found at
http://www.nsw.greens.org.au/policies/drugs-and-harm-minimization


sincerely,

Geoff Ash
Deputy Campaign coordinator
The Greens


Editorial:

Geoff,thank you for your email.

We at SOS-NEWS do not rely on any controlled mainstream media for our news stories and find your inference regarding our publications on Greens drugs policy as insulting as the policy itself.

The decriminalisation for personal use of illegal drugs is not a new vote getting exercise. Various parties have used it in the past to attract disgruntled fringe dwellers.



As Lee Rhiannon (pictured) is number one on the Greens ticket and was the spokeswoman for the Greens on radio talk back. It is fair and reasonable for all NSW citizens who listened to her interviews to understand and believe that what she says is a reflection and explanation of what your Greens policies mean.

Maybe you should listen before you speak on what Rhiannon did say on behalf of the Greens, which most certainly damaged whatever credibility your party was clutching to. Click Here listen to what she said to Ray Hadley on Radio 2GB ....

The general public (ie: the voters of Australia) are the ones who ultimately make the decision as to their elected representatives on polling day.

We believe people are capable of making informed decisions based on the information available and being neither naive nor ill-informed, are generally not interested with radical reform - and particularly in regard to social issues such as drug abuse, which they see as - - ILLEGAL

Our 2 year credibility rides on an average 450 new subscribers per week, with 3 unsubscribing, over 41,000 computers on the mailing list who forward on SOS-NEWS to 3.86 other people from a conducted poll - not counting the website news archive, we service some 340,000 readers, I feel we can substantiate credibility