17/05/2007 00:00:00
Australia: Ban on bongs is diversion strategy
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THE Federal Government wants to ban the sale of bongs in a move some
states say is a smokescreen for a reluctance to force tougher rules on
tobacco companies.
Canberra was accused of using the ban on bongs, used for smoking
marijuana, as an ambush tactic atyesterday’sMinisterial Council on
Drug Strategy meeting in Adelaide.
The states wanted the FederalGovernment to commit to ensuring
disclosure of ingredients on tobacco products, but received only an
assurance of a feasibility study into the idea.
Instead, the Commonwealth pushed forward investigations intobanning the
sale, importation and advertising of bongs and products made for
cannabis use.
“The Commonwealth’s ban the bong campaign is a little bit of tricky
politics,” NSW Health Minister Reba Meaghersaid.
“It’s really designed to disguise the fact they have refused to embrace
the call from thestates to require tobacco companies to release the
list of products that go into making cigarettes, it’s designedtotake
away attention.”
But federal Ageing Minister and council member Christopher Pyne said
disclosing ingredients of cigarette contents presented potential problems.
“The Commonwealth has apreference for the listing of ingredients on
tobacco products as long as it is feasible to do so,” Mr Pyne said.
“And as long as it doesn’tleave open the possibility of legal liability
or undermine a very strong message that every cigarette does you damage.
We’d hateto have people saying they have had a look at the ingredients
and these cigarettes are better for them than otherkinds of cigarettes.”
Mr Pyne said initiating action about potentially banning bongs was “a
great stepforward”.
http://www.bordermail.com.au/news/bm/national/785815.html
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=12558
Author:
Border Mail via UKCIA
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