"The Medical Association's call for a ban on the substance known as One4b is further evidence of their desire to retain a government-enforced monopoly as the only legal drug dealers in the country," said Libertarianz Health Deregulation Spokesman Richard McGrath today.

"Pippa McKay's statement yesterday was bizarre. On the basis that three people have been taken to hospital suffering side effects from using One4b, she wants to ban the stuff altogether. What she really wants is for doctors to be the sole source of the drug so that they may profit from using and selling it," said McGrath, himself a provincial general practitioner.

"By her logic, the practice of medicine should be outlawed - the negligent, incompetent, and often criminal actions of doctors kill and maim so many people that an entire branch of ACC has been set up to deal with the fallout," McGrath added. "Two of their number, Harold Shipman and Morgan Fahey, were sociopathic predators whose bedside manner left much to be desired. Yet Dr McKay is not proposing a ban on doctors, is she?"

Libertarianz believe in allowing adults free choice over what recreational substances they choose to consume. "People should be able to decide for themselves whether they want to use One4b, or any other drug for that matter," said McGrath, who will be forwarding a submission early next month to the select committee enquiry into cannabis calling for its complete legalisation as well as the privatisation of all drug treatment centres.

Dr Richard McGrath * Libertarianz Deputy Leader * Fax 06 377 3070 mcgrath@no-income-tax.com * LIBERTARIANZ * More Freedom * Less Government *

www.libertarianz.org.nz www.freeradical.co.nz

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>