Captain Cooked distracts from pill testing problem

How many more young people have to die before we take action?

Partygoers enjoying a music festival. Picture: Contributed

OPINION:

I'D planned to pen my column this week on pill testing.

That was until our very own Captain Cooked, ScoMo, decided to announce the stupidest initiative since Tony Abbott's return of the knighthood.

A 're-enactment' of something that didn't actually happen, by pouring nearly $7 million into a circumnavigation of Australia to commemorate Captain Cook's voyage, which never actually circumnavigated our country.

You can't make this stuff up.

As tempting as it is to tee off on this latest in a long line of moronic decisions, I'll stick to pill testing.

Although, the Warren Mundine appointment, which smacks of desperation and ill-thought-out planning, also deserves to be thoroughly picked apart.

But for now, I'll focus on pill testing, although I would recommend ScoMo's advisors are tested for something, because whoever is coming up with these ideas is tweaking.

Now, pill testing.

It's a complex issue.

Personally, I'm all for it.

I can't see the point in politicians sticking their heads in the sand just to pander to their conservative bases while more young people die.

If pill testing saves even one life, it's worth it.

I understand the complexities.

No one wants to be seen to be condoning or even encouraging illicit drug taking.

But the reality is, people will take drugs.

Vices have been around for centuries.

Look at prohibition. It didn't work.

Despite the endless anti-smoking messages, guess what, people still enjoy lighting up.

Speeding, drink-driving and driving while using your phone are all illegal, yet masses of people still do them.

I read from many that the simple answer is 'don't take drugs'.

Sure, that'd solve it.

But it's so far removed from reality it's not funny.

If it was that simple, why do people still die on our roads?

It's like the 0.05 limit for drivers; we acknowledge alcohol is dangerous, but only after a certain point.

Drugs can be dangerous due to the gamble, so why not provide an opportunity to take the risk out of drug taking?

Young people will continue to take risks, push boundaries and dabble in drugs.

So if there was an opportunity for your children to test the pill they were going to take regardless, to know whether or not it would be safe, wouldn't you want them to?

Surely it's a better outcome than having them die because of the bloody-mindedness of a few?

The only issue I see with it, having spoken with a few police recently, is the position it would put officers in.

Their presence could deter people from using testing, while it puts police in an awkward position. What do they do when they see people using the pill testing? Just turn a blind eye?

That's for sharper minds than mine to figure out.

Either way, these deaths are avoidable, so why not test?