Answers on Alcohol and other Drugs
1980 B.B. 116
5. Request the State Attorney General to take action to amend the law which allows persons under the influence of alcohol or drugs to plead this as extenuating circumstances in criminal offences.
1982 B.B. 156
7. Affirm its concern regarding the abuse of alcohol because of its harmful effect on the individuals and society generally, in particular:
(a) break-up of family life;
(b) road vehicle fatalities and injuries;
(c) health aspects;
(d) financial burden on the nation.
8. Inform the Premier of Queensland of our concern and commend the Government’s action in reducing the blood alcohol level to .05 insofar as the Traffic Act and Regulations are concerned.
9. Express to the Premier our strong opposition to any further liberalisation of drinking laws.
10. Affirm its concern regarding the use of tobacco because of its association with heart disease and certain forms of cancer, and urge all Presbyterians to abstain from its use, both in their own interests and as an example to weaker and younger brethren (Romans 15:1).
11. Condemn any measure to legalise the sale and use of marijuana and inform the Premier in the strongest terms of the view of the Presbyterian Church of Queensland.
15. Encourage members of the Church to become members of and support the Queensland Temperance League.
16. Urge both Federal and State Governments to ban all public advertising for alcohol and drugs.
17. Express the opinion that all sporting organisations not accept sponsorship from companies which promote, manufacture or distribute alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
18. Declare that random breathalyser tests are in no way an invasion of personal liberty.
19. Call upon the State Government to introduce random breathalyser testing (particularly outside of hotels), as a matter of extreme urgency.
1983 B.B. Min. 123
7. View with deep concern the increasing amount of human hurt in the community as a direct result of the non-medical use of alcohol and other drugs.
8. Ask church members to examine their own convictions at this present time, when semmingly some non-Christian organisations and Government Departments are showing more concern for, and giving more educational help to those hurt by drugs than the Christian Church.
9. Ask all ministers, elders and members to prayerfully consider adopting for themselves:-
(i) an attitude of hostility to the traffic of alcohol and other drugs;
(ii) a decision to abstain from the non-medical use of alcohol and other drugs and to encourage others to do the same.
10. (a) Commend the Queensland State Government for its present educational programme aimed at informing both children and adults about the dangers inherent in the use of alcohol and other drugs but sincerely urge the same Government to do more in this matter because the persuasive propaganda of the industry promoting these drugs saturates the community;
(b) Draw the attention of the Australian Government to the anomaly of alcohol and tobacco being included in the Consumer Price Index in the light of recognised health and social probems, and seek their removal and further, towards this end, seek the support of the State Government and medical and social organisations seeking to combat alcohol and tobacco problems.
11. Call upon all ministers, elders and members of the Church to personally contact all candidates in their electorate seeking election to the Queensland Legislative Assembly, and extract from them a commitment (before voting for any such candidate) that they will not vote for any legislation which would lead to the legalising or decriminalising of marijuana in this State.
12. (a) Express its abhorrence at the action of the Commonwealth Attorney General in releasing two elderly women from prison, when they had been convicted in a court of law for serious drug offences;
(b) Express the opinion that the above action on the part of the Commonwealth Attorney General was an insult to those persons and agencies who are seeking to help lives which have been shattered by drugs, and a detrayal of the youth of this Commonwealth;
(c) Communicate the above decisions (a) and (b) to the Prime Minister.
1983 B.B. Min. 123
14. Draw the attention of the Church to the 1982 Assembly appeal to all Presbyterians to abstain from the use of tobacco, both in their own interests and as an example to others (Romans 15:1) vide B.B. 1982 Min. 156(10).
15. Repeat its 1982 appeal to the State Government to introduce random breath testing as a matter of urgency, vide B.B. 1982 Min. 156(19).
1984 B.B. Min. 212
10. Appeal again to the State Government to introduce random breath testing.
11. Commend the Hon W.H. Glasson, MLA, the Minister for Lands, Forestry and Police, for his concern about under-age consumers of alcoholic beverages, and the ease with which they may obtain alcohol, and his warning to those who seek to gain by such abuses.
12. Oppose any use of alcoholic beverages at meetings or functions connected with Presbyterian schools or other schools with which our Church is associated.
1985 B.B. Min. 75
4. Praise God for those activities that have occurred during the year which have encouraged the non-use of beverage alcohol, Australia’s number one drug of addiction, and public awareness of the inherent danger in the use of other drugs.
5. Commend the Queensland Government Health Department on the educative productions:-
(a) Pamphlet and radio message “Breakaway”, subtitled “You don’t have to say yes”;
(b) TV gremlin presentation produced by Film Director, Steven Spielberg.
6. Commend the Queensland Temperance League on their production through their community service arm, Drug Arm, of:-
(a) Audio visual on the foetal alcohol syndrome – “Right from the Start”, and
(b) Cinema wide screen commercial “The Stuntman”, subtitled “Choose for Yourself”.
7. Endorse the Committee’s commendation of the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal’s recommended restrictions on alcohol advertising. The major rercommendation is:-
“Advertisements directly promoting alcoholic liquor may be televised only during AO time, that is between 8.30 pm and 5.00 am the following day and between 12.00 noon and 3.00 pm on weekdays which are schooldays.”
8. Commend the Queensland Government’s stand against legislation of the use of marijuana.
9. Request the Queensland State Government to:-
(a) For the public good, introduce Random Breath Testing to reduce the number of deaths on the roads of this State; and
(b) Provide continuing instruction to all primary school scholars from grade 3 upwards, of the dangers to health in the use and misuse of beverage alcohol, tobacco, and prescription and illegal drugs.
1986 B.B. Min. 149
5. Commend the report on Alcohol and Other Drugs to the Church and provide copies of this Report to all Presbyteries and Sessions for study.
REPORT ON ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS (Refer Min. 149.5 Above)
“The broadsheet circulated to Session was concerned mainly with the matter of alcohol and only an implied reference to other drugs as being in the same category as alcohol.
The danger with treating the subject of drugs is in studying the legal drug alcohol and overlooking, or avoiding the fact that it ultimately has the same effect on individuals and society as prescribed and illicit drugs. The 1985 White Book indicated that 73 Sessions would have been circulated and of these only 16 responded to date to this report. The responses received indicated positive support for the principles enunciated in the broadsheet and could be summarised as follows:¬
1. (a) The Gospel of Jesus Christ and the doctrine of justification by faith alone through grace (WCF Ch.11) are absolute in the salvation of man from the curse and from sin, "for the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation for. everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16) and "there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved". (Acts 4:12).
(b) Man is saved by faith alone and good works by necessity are the fruit of this living faith alone for "faith without works is dead" (James 2:17) (WCF Ch.16).
(c) The doctrine of Christian freedom and liberty of conscience is set forth in the Word of God - 1 Cor. 6:12, Colossians 2:20, ff, Romans 14, Galatians 5:1. (WCF Ch.20).
(d) Care must be taken to properly exegete scriptural texts used to demand or encourage abstinence from or use of alcohol, scripture being its own interpreter. (WCF Ch.1).
2. We recognise that scripture does point to the fact that:
(a) Our bodies are the temples of the Living God (1 Cor. 6:19).
(b) We are commanded to love our neighbours and thus to be our brothers keeper. (Mark 12:31, Genesis 4:9-15).
(c) We are not to cause our brother to stumble. (Romans 14:13-15).
(d) We are to shun all appearances of evil (1 Thess. 5:22).
3. In view of this and in the face of the universal degradation of individual, family and society life through the abuse of alcohol and other drugs, we counsel Christians to:
a. Abstain from alcoholic beverages and tobacco.
b. Refrain from the unprescribed use of other drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and the opium derivatives morphine and heroin.
c. Use all prescription drugs only as prescribed by a competent and reliable doctor.
We would also counsel Christians to refrain from giving the impression that such habits are condoned by Christians, in the light of ultimate judgement. (Matthew 2:3-8).
It is recommended to those who have the responsibility to lead, guide and advise people overcome by the use of the drug, alcohol, that there is a help agency to whom they may be directed, Alcoholics Victorious (sponsored by Drug Arm, the community support arm of the Queensland Temperance League). It is a Christian-based program providing care and support for those seeking victory over alcohol dependence, and those who have already won the victory through the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is a fellowship of people founded on the principle that "he who is in Christ is a new creation". There are 12 groups in the state of Queensland.
The inquiry instituted in 1984 by the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal and recommending changes to the advertising of alcohol on television has not completed its charter but it is expected to do so in 1986.”
1987 B.B. Min. 329
11. Declare support for any moves by the Queensland Government, to consider raising the legal drinking age.
1987 B.B. Min. 329
13. Encourage the Queensland Government to increase its endeavours in implementing ways of positively reducing the number of all crashes involving both injury and death, especially where alcohol is a contributiong factor.
1987 B.B. Min. 329
16. Request the Federal Government to totally ban the advertising of alcoholic beverages on all media networks.
1988 B.B. Min. 203
26. Commend the Federal Government for its “Drug Offensive” Programme, especially its TV presentation to the youth of the nation.
27. Communicate to the Minister for Transport of the Queensland Government, the Assembly’s approbation of the R.I.D. Programme and urge that the Government pursue it with vigour and by every available resource.
28. Bring to the notice of the Queensland Government, the result of the professional opinion survey published in the “Temperance Advocate” March 1987.
29. Request the State Government of Queensland to raise the minimum legal drinking age to 21 in accord with surveyed community opinion and the action of major nations of the world.
1989 B.B. Min. 279
15. Commend the Queensland Government decision to extend the Reduced Impaired Driving (R.I.D.) program to Random Breath Testing (R.B.T.).
16. View with concern the apparent increased availability and use of legal and illegal narcotic substances in the community, and convey this opinion to the State Government.
1989 B.B. Min. 279
17. (a) Re-affirm the resolution of the Commission of Assembly interalia:
“That the Assembly be opposed to the distribution of clean needles on the pretence that it would lessen the chance of contracting A.I.D.S., because it would not only be seen to be abetting the use of illicit drugs, but in fact would do so”.
(b) Advise the Premier, Minister for Health, Leader of the Opposition, and Media accordingly.
18. Request the State Government of Queensland to raise the minimum legal drinking age to 21 years in accord with surveyed community opinion and the action of major nations of the world.
1994 B.B. Min. 199
12. Concur with the action of the Moderator, Clerk of Assembly and Convener of the Public Questions and Communications Committee in submitting a statement on behalf of the Church on Cannabis and the Law in Queensland, (Appendix C) and incorporate a copy of the statement in the record.
APPENDIX C
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF QUEENSLAND
Office of the ModeratorMr R S O’Reagan QC Moderator –
Chairman Rev G Kettniss
Criminal Justice Commission 68 Charlton St
557 Coronation Drive ASCOT Q 4007
TOOWONG Q 4006 (07) 268 4151Dear Mr O’Reagan,
Re: Cannabis and the Law in Queensland
Please find enclosed a statement by the Presbyterian Church in Queensland on its opposition to the legalising the use of marijuana apart from any medically prescribed purposes.
Yours faithfully,
(Rt Rev) G K Kettniss (Very Rev Dr) K J Gardner
Moderator Clerk of AssemblyCopies to: Premier of Queensland
Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Parliamentary Liberal Party
“STATEMENT BY THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF QUEENSLAND
ON MARIJUANA AND OTHER DRUGSBIBLICAL GROUNDS FOR PROPER USE OF DRUGS:
1. (a) The Gospel of Jesus Christ and the doctrine of justification by faith alone through grace (WCF) Ch.11) are absolute in the salvation of man from the curse and from sin, for the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes (Romans 1:16) and "there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved". (Acts 4:12).
(b) Man is saved by faith alone and good works by necessity are the fruit of this living faith alone for "faith without works is dead". (James 2:17) (WCF Ch.16).
(c) The doctrine of Christian freedom and liberty of conscience is set forth in the Word of God - 1 Cor. 6:12, Colossians 2:20 ff, Romans 14, Galatians 5:1. (WCF Ch.20).
(d) Care must be taken to properly exegete scriptural texts used to demand or encourage abstinence from or use of alcohol, Scripture being its own interpreter. (WCF Ch.1).
THE BIBLICAL INJUNCTION TO CARE FOR OUR BODIES AND OUR NEIGHBOUR:
2. We recognise that Scripture does point to the fact that::
(a) Our bodies are the temples of the Living God (1 Cor.6:19).
(b) We are commanded to love our neighbours and thus to be our brother's keeper. (Mark 12:31, Genesis 4:9-15).
(c) We are not to cause our brother to stumble. (Romans 14:13-15).
(d) We are to shun all appearances of evil. (1 Thess. 5:22).3. In view of this and in the face of the universal degradation of individual, family and society life through the abuse of alcohol and other drugs, we counsel Christians to:
(a) Abstain from alcoholic beverages and tobacco.
(b) Refrain from the unprescribed use of other drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and the opium derivatives morphine and heroin.
(c) Use all prescription drugs only as prescribed by a competent and reliable doctor.
We would also counsel Christians to refrain from giving the impression that such habits are condoned by Christians, in the light of ultimate judgment. (Matthew 2:3-8).
ORGANIZATIONS AVAILABLE TO HELP:
It is recommended to those who have the responsibility to lead, guide and advise people overcome by the use of the drug, alcohol, that there is a help agency to whom they may be directed, Alcoholics Victorious (sponsored by Drug Arm, the community support arm of the Queensland Temperance League). It is a Christian-based program providing care and support for those seeking victory over alcohol dependence, and those who have already won the victory through the Lord Jesus Christ.
(WCF - Westminster Confession of Faith, a statement of faith, subordinate to the Bible, stating the beliefs of the Presbyterian Church).”
2011 Extract Minute 106
5. Affirm the statement of The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Australia adopted in September 2010, on the Responsible Use of Alcohol (GAA BB Min 96.4) as follows:
The Assembly:
(a) Despite its abuse by many, affirms alcohol as God’s Gift when used in moderation (1 Tim. 4:4, 5:23, John 2:1-11).
(b) Respects the position of total abstinence, taken by many Christians, on theological, ethical, practical and health grounds and does not wish to offend their consciences by this declaration in accordance with the principles of Romans 14.
(c) Warns, with all seriousness, of the perils of drunkenness for both the body (Prov. 23:20-35) and the soul (1 Tim. 6:10).
(d) Urges those addicted to alcohol to seek the help of organizations that specialize in the treatment of such addictions, recognizing that Christ’s power is able to break any sinful pattern through His Spirit.
(e) Urges Sessions, Deacons Courts, Committees and Boards of Management to make their facilities available to such organizations that specialize in the treatment of such addictions.
(f) Urges Christians to develop a definite attitude to alcohol by:
- educating themselves and their families on the effects of alcohol and the consequences of alcohol abuse.
- noting that self-control is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5.22-23).
- adopting either temperance or total abstinence in their personal and family intake of alcohol.
- being constantly aware of how their attitude to alcohol affects their witness to others.
(g) Urges Christians, privately and in public, to be models of responsibility and sobriety where they choose to be consumers of alcoholic beverages (Titus 2.11-14).
(h) Deplores the fact that alcohol is being consistently abused within the community with devastating results such as death and injury on the roads and in the workplace, addiction, violence, domestic disruption and misery, poverty, problems in pregnancy and damage to personal health.
(i) Urges concerted action by state and federal governments, in consultative partnership with insurance companies, aimed at curbing the abuse of alcohol in the community by:
- restricting advertising of alcoholic beverages in the media:
- facilitating sources of sports sponsorship and associated advertising funding, alternative to marketers of alcoholic beverages at sporting events.
- placing clear health warnings on alcoholic beverages.
- imposing equitable taxes on the sale of alcoholic beverages that adequately cover the financial cost to the community of alcohol abuse.
- applying taxation proportionately higher according to the percentage of alcohol content of the beverage.
- regulating tightly the institutions that sell alcoholic beverages, including the hours in which they operate.
- encouraging or offering insurance policies with conditions that promote abstention or temperance in the consumption of alcoholic beverages.