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The Federal Government will consider banning the importation of cannabis-related equipment.

At a meeting in Adelaide of the Ministerial Council on Drug Strategy, the Federal Minister responsible for drugs, alcohol and tobacco, Christopher Pyne, said that the issue of regulating the advertising and sale of equipment used to smoke cannabis will also be considered.

Mr Pyne says the fact that some of the equipment can also be used to smoke tobacco should not stop a crackdown.

"Hiding behind the idea that some of these products might be used for legitimate practices flies in the face of common sense and I think the mums and dads of Australia expect us to take firm action," he said.

However some state ministers at the meeting say they were not warned about the proposal and accused Mr Pyne of playing politics.

Victorian Mental Health Minister Lisa Neville says the announcement was handled poorly.

"It was disappointing it was raised in the manner it was and it's being used like it is," she said.

"I think there is a level of cooperation to try and ensure that we better protect our community, better protect our young people and work to reduce the uptake of illicit drugs in our community."

The New South Wales Health Minister, Reba Meagher, says the Federal Government's announcement is a diversion.

"It's really designed to disguise the fact that they've refused to embrace the call from the states to require tobacco companies to release the list of products that go into making cigarettes," she said.

Mr Pyne says he cannot understand the concerns.

"The cannabis strategy was on the agenda for debate today," he said.

"I would have thought if you can get yourself elected to Parliament and get yourself elected to Ministry, then you should be able to make a decision about whether a paper should be brought forward to discuss the benefits of banning bongs and other equipment that's used to smoke cannabis."

The Ministerial Council has also agreed on a national ban on fruit-flavoured cigarettes and split-pack cigarettes.

The South Australian Government says it was the first to legislate against the sale of fruit-flavoured cigarettes and it's gained interstate support, which has pressured the Federal Government to implement a national ban.

South Australia's Minister for Substance Abuse Gail Gago says the flavoured cigarettes and packs that can be split in two have been aimed at the young.

"These are obviously marketing strategies that are particularly focussed at young people and are therefore particularly potentially damaging."


Newshawk: CoZmO - 420Magazine.com
Source: ABC News Online (Australia)
Author: ABC News Staff
Contact: ABC News Online - Contact Us
Copyright: 2007 ABC
Website: Cannabis equipment ban under consideration. 16/05/2007. ABC News Online