Via BlogGreen: Jim Anderton has banned recreational use of nitrous oxide. Whether he's trying to legislate by press release or has whipped up an Order In Council to schedule it alongside other drugs is unclear, but according to Newstalk ZB, it "is no longer a legal high".
This is simply a crazy decision. Nitrous is one of the safest highs around. It's not physically addictive, and while it has been linked to low levels of vitamin B12 (which long-term leads to neurological problems), you have to be doing boxes and boxes of the stuff for a prolonged period of time for that to occur. Likewise, while there have been incidents of people asphyxiating or giving themselves frostbite due to improper use, or simply behaving like dumbarses and hurting themselves, these are not a significant problem, and far less likely in the "nitrous bars" Anderton is targetting. And of course both the long-term health effects and the risks of misuse are far lower than those of alcohol, which we happily tolerate. Really, the only reason seems to be that Anderton is a killjoy.
Needless to say, I don't think I'll be voting for him either...
Surely there are more important social issues he could be concerning himself with. I had nitrous oxide during childbirth and I thought at the time it would be good to try some in a more recreational context. And now I can't. DAMN YOU JIM ANDERTON!!
ReplyDeleteLet's just hope the Greens keep very quiet about their Luddite tendencies in the lead up to the elections. They really look like the only possible option (to me)
Jim Anderton is just playing a generation game: ban all things fun that young people use, i.e. cannabis, speed, party pills; but keep off the fun stuff for his generation: virtually no restrictions on the sale of erection drugs. Imagine him banning Viagra, he would even lose his own seat.
ReplyDeleteHaha your mistake is thinking that we dont want to ban alcohol caffine, fatty foods and so forth also.
ReplyDeleteFirst tax then raise age limits then ban it from public places then ban it from inside buildings then put adds on tv saying if your prepared to smoke/speed/drink your prepared to kill.
Saying "but alcohol is worse" really just leaves us thinking "all in due time"