Both the judge and jury should be congratulated for a wise verdict in the Dixon "nutjob" trial.
Blaming P for Dixon's rampage is like blaming God for Brian Tamaki. The judge put it legal-speak by directing the jury that "the consumption of P on its own, even if it induces psychosis, is not enough to amount to insanity for the purposes of our Crimes Act."
As an old girlfriend said to me, it's not what you've got it's what you do with it. Role models such as Darren McDonald have shown that P is a relatively harmless stimulant (in a public safety way) if used by reasonable people. People who have a violent reaction to the drug should be monitored.
The black market is unmonitored. It will sell to anyone with the cash. From a public safety side of things, wouldn't it be worthwhile considering some rules to ensure someone doesn't feed the animals?
The toleration and trust that the Needle Exchange Program fostered amongst junkies has helped prevent illness and death. Even drug czar "Chairman Jim" has acknowledged the good work done. The concept could be expanded to include all things where risks are accepted and medication is observed. This is why bars and casinos have licences. Regulation provides a code that someone on site is held accountable for.
The Greens have released a Drug Policy that could provide an open and honest look at everything from alcohol to acid, methamphetamine to caffeine. Act, the Liberal Party, have yet to provide a better alternative. This is surprising given some truck drivers smoke P for professional reasons.
