‘If you could buy MDMA at Woolworths it would be much safer’: Greens candidate says ecstasy and marijuana should be sold over the counter to save lives
- NSW Greens candidate says selling MDMA in supermarkets would be a safe
- Greens have announced a policy to sell MDMA in chemists if 18+ ID provided
- Health Minister Brad Hazzard has slammed the policy as irresponsible
A Greens candidate who wants to legalise marijuana and ecstasy believes MDMA should be sold over the counter at Woolworths.
Lilith Zaharias, who is running against Health Minister Brad Hazzard for the seat of Wakehurst on Sydney’s northern beaches in the upcoming NSW State Election, has also called for pill testing to be legalised.
‘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,’ she told the Daily Telegraph.
The candidate made the comments in support of Greens MP David Shoebridge, who called for MDMA to be sold over the counter at pharmacies to anyone over 18 with photo ID.
Greens candidate Lilith Zaharias has said increasing the availability of drugs such as MDMA and marijuana to supermarkets would would improve safety for users
The Greens previously announced a policy aiming to legalise the sale of marijuana across the country
‘We have a choice here, we either leave the sale and distribution of MDMA, and drugs that pretend to be MDMA, to organised crime operating on a black market, or we step in and regulate it,’ Mr Shoebridge said.
A spokesperson for the Greens pointed out to Daily Mail Australia that Ms Zaharias’ calls to sell MDMA at the supermarket wasn’t consistent with the party’s drugs policy.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the Greens proposal was irresponsible.
He also criticised what he called Labour’s ‘deadly deal with the devil’ in it’s preference deal with the Greens.
A spokesperson for the greens was quick to point out Ms Zaharias’ mention of selling the drugs at supermarkets was not consistent with their current policy
‘Having sat with the emergency doctors who have had these young people in the emergency departments with the patients’ internal temperature up over 45C and their organs cooking, I fail to understand how any responsible political party could support the legalisation for these drugs to be sold over the counter,’ Mr Hazzard told The Daily Telegraph.
‘The great misunderstanding with MDMA is young people think it is OK and safe and people like the Greens reinforce the message,’ Mr Hazzard said.
A spokesman for NSW Labor said Mr Daley did not support the policy, however, would not comment on preferencing deals.
However, in a statement to Daily Mail Australia, Ms Zaharias backtracked on her previous comments.
‘Greens policy is that MDMA should be licenced and regulated with pharmacies – the only point of sale, to those over 18, in limited quantity with identification to be produced and a record of sale taken.
‘My turn of phrase was incorrect about supermarkets.’
The debate over pill testing has been a hot topic in the lead up to the state election after five youths died having taken the drug at music festivals in the last six months.
‘The great misunderstanding with MDMA is young people think it is OK and safe and people like the Greens reinforce the message,’ Health Minister Brad Hazzard said