Federal government cuts are forcing the closure of an “internationally recognised” cannabis information centre from the start of next year, with the government instead focusing its attention on problems with the drug ice.
The National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre (NCPIC) – on which taxpayers have forked out $3m a year for the past decade – aims to provide (according to its website) “evidence-based information about cannabis use to prevent uptake … and support treatment of users”.
Sounds bad, right? Cannabis can be a very real problem for some, and the government should be supporting the support of those who need it.
The only problem is, while solid research and tools and factsheets have come out of NCPIC, many in the organisation seem to have a deluded view on weed.
“Our greatest fear in closing the centre is that vulnerable people will seek information from pro-legalisation propaganda websites, and make decisions that could lead to their health declining,” its director Jan Copeland told the ABC (NB: not happy, Jan… you guys are ‘propaganda’ too).
Plenty legal things aren’t necessarily good for your health, we just think weed should be be one them.
But moreover, NCPIC’s publicly-facing talent – including Sai & Max below (who feature in a couple of vids) – have clearly never taken drugs in their life, and sound like preschoolers talking politics when they discuss why people feel inclined to “mix weed and other drugs” in the vid below.
The government has instead chosen to prioritise a broader drug health strategy, which would include ice, a spokesperson told the ABC.
So at the end of the day it’s probably not a bad thing that the Aussie public will save $3m a year on not funding this band of fools, but legalisation and the government’s focus on ice aside, it’s important to realise that problems with cannabis use are very real and that the government should be backing initiatives to support scientific-based cannabis research and support.
