Police drug conference has deadly consequences

Drug user activists are warning a police drug conference being held in Darwin this week will ultimately cause more harm than the drugs it is meant to eradicate.

The Ninth National Chemical Diversion Congress, currently underway in Darwin in Australia’s north, aims to prevent the diversion of precursor chemicals and to reduce the supply of amphetamine type substances (ATS).

Members of the Darwin-based drug law reform/drug user group, the Network Against Prohibition (NAP), believe that the congress is a result of a US-led propaganda drive which has labelled ATS as the number one drug scourge in the USA.

NAP spokesperson Gary Meyerhoff said: “Events such as these demonstrate the incredible escalation of the US-led War on Drugs over the past decade.

“Amphetamine type substances are among Australia’s favourite drugs and attempts by the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and their Australian lackeys to eradicate them are an extraordinary waste of resources and money. To make things worse, these eradication efforts are destroying the lives of many young Australians.

“The Prohibition of Amphetamine type substances and the chemicals used in their manufacture has a significant impact on the health of people that use them and absolutely no impact on supply.

“As one chemical is banned, speed cooks simply find more chemicals to replace them.

"Even in a place as isolated as Darwin, Amphetamines are readily available."

The War on Drugs is not supported by all law enforcement officials. Many officers in the United States, Canada and the UK are so concerned about the harm caused by drug prohibition they have formed the lobby group “Law Enforcement Against Prohibition” (LEAP) to educate their colleagues about the Drug War's dangerous consequences.

NAP will hold a rally today at 12 noon at the congress venue to demonstrate community opposition to the event and will distribute LEAP fliers to any police officers who are interested.

For more information call NAP on 0415 16 2525 (+61 415 16 2525 from overseas), Andrew Cummins (NT Police) on 08 8901 0281 (+61 8 8901 0281 from overseas), or see the following links:

NAP website

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

Click here to download the LEAP flier (microsoft word document).

The Ninth National Chemical Diversion Congress website

Previous NT Police media releases on the event:

10th August 2005

19th May 2005

Footnote: It may be possible to arrange an interview with a US-based member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. To arrange this, please contact Gary on 0434 393 008 ASAP.