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Brendan Nelson says alcopop tax may lead kids to drugs

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Ben Packham

August 20, 2008 12:00am

BRENDAN Nelson says Kevin Rudd's alcopop tax hike could lead young people to consider drugs.

The Coalition has vowed to block the $3.1 billion Budget measure in the Senate, along with changes to Medicare rules and possibly a new luxury car tax.

The Opposition Leader said the alcopops tax would not reduce binge drinking.

"We are concerned that it has the potential to compound the problem of alcohol abuse in young and not-so-young Australians," he told a Coalition-backed alcohol conference.

"And we're also concerned that it has the potential to lead to displacement from alcohol to other forms of substance."

He later clarified his remarks, saying: "Certainly . . . young people in a club or party environment paying $10-$12 for an alcopop can buy an ecstasy tablet or some other stimulant for $15 to $30.

"(But) I'm not suggesting for one moment the increase in the tax is leading to increased drug use."

Health Minister Nicola Roxon said Dr Nelson was ignoring the facts, which showed an overall decrease in alcohol consumption since the tax came in.

"From very early on, Dr Nelson has sided with the spirits industry in opposing this measure," Ms Roxon said.

"But from the early evidence that we have from the tax office, this measure is being successful."

Treasurer Wayne Swan warned it was the Opposition who would blow a hole in the budget surplus in uncertain times.

"Australia needs a strong surplus to act as a buffer against international uncertainty, and for the Liberal Party to blow a multi-billion dollar hole in the budget surplus is the height of economic irresponsibility," he said.

Dr Nelson also took the opportunity yesterday to make a bold prediction on his 50th birthday -- he'll still be around as Opposition leader in two years' time. The besieged leader continues to languish in opinion polls.

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	$euphoric_empathogen [news] [concept]	$MDMA
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	$stimulant [news] [concept]	"stimulant" $MDMA	1
	$alcohol [news] [concept]	"alcohol" "binge drinking"	5	Stanton Peele Addiction Web Site http://www.drugwarfacts.org/alcohol.htm
	$MDMA [news] [concept]	"ecstasy tablet" "ecstasy"	2	http://www.maps.org/research/mdma/ http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm http://www.drugwarfacts.org/ecstasy.htm Distortion 8: Ecstasy http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/mdma/ http://thedea.org/
	$various_drugs 95% [news] [concept]	"drugs" "drug"	7
	$youth 60% [news] [concept]	$propaganda_theme5		http://www.ssdp.org/

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