Hard News: Not off to bed
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If someone's kid had been killed in a police chase then I think that would disqualify them from being Police Minister on the same grounds.
Didn't Annette King's schoolteacher daughter crash her mum's 'ministerial car' (a new Beetle!) a few years back? And they found XTC in the car? Or have I got the wrong minister? -
Annette King is the Minister of Police, Minister of Transport, Minister for Food Safety, and Minister of State Services.
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Annette King is the Minister of Police, Minister of Transport, Minister for Food Safety, and Minister of State Services.
...and former Minister of Health, more's the pity.
Yucky, yucky, BZP. That market was surely about to implode anyway wasn't it? A close relative of mine is a doctor who was involved with the study run by the Medical Research Council, which was cut short due to severe adverse side effects experienced by the participating volunteers. I volunteered as the "trialors' trialist" (in other words they put me through the motions before the real tests started, to iron out any system flaws, but did not include the results since I am related to the doctor). I was given a regular dose as recommended on the packet, and my vital signs were monitored as I performed a series of tests. I drank plenty of water all day (no alcohol). That night I had the worst headache I've ever had in my entire life. BZP gripped my brain in a vice and squeeeeeeezed. I couldn't blame anything else - I wasn't short of sleep, drunk, stoned, wasted, tired, hormonal, stressed... BZP alone gave me the nastiest headache ever invented. I was incapable of doing anything - I was in such stunning agony I could but whimper.
Also: my close friend killed himself three years ago (fortunately it feels like much longer ago than that now) and the music he chose to play at The Time was Nirvana. But he never liked or listened to Nirvana! I didn't even think he owned any. It's a strange thing about people who are close to suicide: they are drawn to the stories / methods of other suicides. Well to be honest, I think it's tactful and compassionate to keep suicide stories out of the limelight... however I also believe that those close to suicide will find these stories anyway because there appears to be solidarity in suicidal despair that luckily most of us aren't able to fully relate to.
These are anecdotes (one is particularly heavy), I'm making conversation not drawing conclusions. But both are pertinent I think.
(O alright it was just a premise to make a dig @ Annette King)
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CORRELATION, IF IT EXISTS, DOES NOT IMPLY CAUSATION
Of course it bloody implies it. It just doesn't guarantee it.
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Am I the only one who has had a reasonable dose of BZP and noticed no effect whatsoever? After the absolutely disgusting taste was washed away, that is. I tried many varieties in progressively increasing doses, and they have never had any effect at all. I'm not surprised people have ODed on them. I was tempted, just to see what all the fuss was about.
So I'm hardly bitter they're off the market, personally. Except in the more general "people should be allowed to choose" kind of way. Surely this will drive kids back to illegal drugs that actually work.
I'm surprised no one has thought of making a disgusting flavoured bottled water that they could call "Legal High Waterzzz" or something like, to catch and combine the idiot/kiddie market that buys BZP and bottled water.
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<quoteI'm surprised no one has thought of making a disgusting flavoured bottled water that they could call "Legal High Waterzzz" or something like</quote>
I see there's a hemp flavoured drink on the market now.
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Ben, on the up side you probably did not have any intestional worms left which has to be good
Comparing BZP and alcohol, humans have a long history of using booze, we know the risks and what may happen but while BZP seems to have no short term problems (actually seems perfect for getting high apart from the taste) who knows what the long term problems might be
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I think it disqualifies him from having the kind of dispassionate open mind on these matters that we're entitled to expect from a minister. If someone's kid had been killed in a police chase then I think that would disqualify them from being Police Minister on the same grounds.
If we start saying that Anderton isn't qualified to be dealing with some portfolios because of his family history, then presumably we're going to rule out any people who have attempted suicide but failed. And some otherwise excellent psychologists/psychiatrists who have had personal, private dealings with suicide from engaging as well.
I just get the feeling that suicide, depression, drug abuse etc, are issues that for a lot of us, are outside our experience, until it happens to a friend, family member, or yourself. And while there's two sides to every argument, I'd much rather have both sides engaged on the issue than shutting out one side because they know what it's like for these things to happen to a family/person.
And, I don't agree with very much Anderton does politically these days, and I don't know him personally at all. But I get the impression that in his political career that he's always worked hard to do what he thinks is honest and right, and best for NZ. That's not something you could say about every MP or Minister.
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Raymond, the devil you know? Alcohol's long term effects are known, and all bad. The key difference is that the effect of banning it is also known and that was also all bad. The effect of banning BZP is unknown. I'd speculate it will be mostly bad. Except for the worms, they'll be on the rise...
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<i>because they know what it's like for these things to happen to a family/person.</i>
I don't understand this idea that because a family member has suffered something -- whether it be suicide, murder, drug addiction, or some other horrible social ill -- that this qualifies you as an expert in preventing that problem.
For sure it makes you an expert on the feelings of victims' family members, but that is all. If we elevate the opinions of family members, that is a road to really terrible public policy.
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I don't understand this idea that because a family member has suffered something -- whether it be suicide, murder, drug addiction, or some other horrible social ill -- that this qualifies you as an expert in preventing that problem.
Well that's not what I said. I said that, just because they have personal experience, they shouldn't be excluded from the problem, not that they suddenly become an expert.
One of the things that dependency groups such as alcoholics anonymous etc use is working with their peers - other alcoholics. It's not the only answer, but it's not something that should be excluded because people are 'too close to the problem'.
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