Wakehurst State Election candidate Lilith Zaharias calls for MDMA drug to be sold in supermarkets
A Greens candidate for the upcoming State Election has said MDMA should be sold in supermarkets, as she calls for the drug to be legalised and part of a pill testing trial at a festival in Manly next weekend.
A Greens candidate for the upcoming State Election has said MDMA should be sold in supermarkets.
Lilith Zaharias, who is standing in Wakehurst against Health Minister Brad Hazzard, said legalising the drug is the best way to prevent more young people dying.
Her comments come as she and Greens candidate for Mackellar, Prudence Wawn, have called for a pill testing trial at Manly’s The Drop Festival on March 23.
“I 100 per cent support legalising MDMA and marijuana,” Ms Zaharias said.
“Science shows us that they are a lot medically safer than legal drugs like alcohol and tobacco, which you can just go down to Woolworths or Dan Murphy’s and buy.
“If you could go to Woolworths and buy a packet of MDMA it would be much safer. If legal it could be produced in a factory where there could be safety standards.”
Ms Wawn, who said marijuana should be sold over the counter, argued legalisation would also help eradicate the destructive underground drug market.
The comments follow their support for a petition which has called for pill testing to be introduced at The Drop Festival at Keirle Park which will coincide with the Sydney Pro surfing event.
“The evidence on pill testing is clear,” Ms Zaharias said. “It saves lives.
“A similar initiative at the Groovin the Moo festival in the ACT found lethal substances in some pills. It is a no-brainer.”
The change.org petition, which was launched by Tom Willett, who called on the northern beaches to lead the way on testing.
“The Greens position on this supports the science,” Prudence Wawn said. “We live in a drug taking society, people are going to take drugs but evidence shows that pill testing makes it safer.
“I’m a former high school teacher and I saw lots of our brightest and best experimenting. You can’t stop them.”
But Tony Wood, whose daughter Anna Wood died after taking ecstasy at a rave back in 1995, said pill testing was missing the point.
“Pill testing gives young people a false sense of security,” Mr Wood, who lives near Keirle Park, said.
“They get their drugs tested and are told their MDMA is pure and then they think it is safe.
“But everyone reacts differently. Anna’s friends also took the drugs that night but she was the only one who died.
“Look, if pill testing worked then I would be the first person to support it. But it doesn’t.”
Northern Beaches councillor Rory Amon described the Greens policy as “sheer lunacy” and said pill testing should be resisted.
“Pill testing in the UK has resulted in hundreds of deaths,” the Liberal councillor said.
“I oppose this proposed trial for pill testing on Northern Beaches Council land and will be asking council to do the same at our March meeting.
“Shame on the Greens.”
The NSW Government has resisted calls for pill testing at festivals with Premier Gladys Berejiklian stating pill testing does not work.
The Drop Festival has been contacted for comment.
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