Joshua Badge, lecturer in philosophy at Deakin University and a LGBTQ activist has called out the TGA's proposed poppers ban as an attack on gay and bisexual men, comparing it to other punitive and discriminatory prohibitions enacted by Australia in the past. The article is available at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/oct/17/amyl-nitrite-the-ban-on-poppers-is-a-discriminatory-attack-on-gay-and-bisexual-men
Some key arguments and facts that Mr Badge draws attention to (references can be found within the article):
- 32% of gay or bisexual men reported using amyl/poppers in the previous six months.
- The TGA cites the risk to children of accidental ingestion as a key reason for banning poppers. This has occurred 10 times between 2004 and 2014. To put this in perspective, 20 children are admitted to hospital each week for ingesting button batteries. Where is the button batteries ban?
- The TGA refers the use of poppers by pedophiles to assault children, citing a report from 1993 that found no evidence for such a claim.
- The TGA cites the supposed dangers of poppers in their argument to criminalise them, saying they have the potential to cause "headaches, dizziness and nausea, or exacerbate glaucoma and circulation problems." As Joshua mentions, "...this is mostly true. However, the same can be said of the sex aid Viagra, mainly used by heterosexual men, which can cause headaches, dizziness, congestion, diarrhoea and rashes in addition to exacerbating existing conditions but which is, nevertheless, approved by the TGA."
This article exposes the double-standards held by the TGA, their lack of proper community consultation, and their lack of proper consideration of the available scientific evidence.
So, why are they determined to criminalise this substance that has been used responsibly by so many and helps receptive partners, particularly gay men, have sex comfortably?
This just doesn't smell right, so please make sure you share this petition and this article, and tell the TGA: Don't Ban Poppers!