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The Licensing Committee of the local Council is worried about reports of drugs being used in a number of local nightclubs. |
| Councillor Jones is calling for club owners to provide FREE DRINKING WATER as a safety measure. | Councillor Smith is AGAINST the proposal. |
| Councillor Jones “We KNOW that some young people who go to these clubs use ECSTASY. Even though the Police try to stop the supply of the drug, and club staff search people as they go in, some people WILL slip through the net.If those people ARE going to use this drug and risk their lives, we MUST provide as much help as possible to avoid someone DYING.” |
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| Councillor Smith “I’m AGAINST this proposal. It sends out the WRONG message. This Council cannot support the use of illegal drugs on any of its licensed premises.” |
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| Councillor Jones “We DON’T agree with the use of illegal drugs. But the fact is that some young people will IGNORE our advice and risk their LIVES. Providing free drinking water will help SAVE lives, or at least REDUCE the risks. Some of these club owners are responsible, but some are only interested in PROFITS and they turn the water off and CHARGE for drinking water at the bar. This is putting young LIVES at risk. Making this a CRIME will help people who have taken ecstasy to stay alive.” |
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| Councillor Smith “Yes, club owners ARE in business to make a profit. If they are FORCED to give away water, they’ll just increase the entrance fee to cover the COST. Anyway, that’s not the POINT. We DON’T want to encourage drug use. This is the thin end of the WEDGE. What’s next? Chill out rooms, where drug users can relax and cool down?” |
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| Councillor Jones “Why not? We should be doing EVERYTHING in our power to ensure a SAFE environment, so lives are not put at RISK. If that means rest areas, proper ventilation, first aid rooms, then so be IT. I don’t think anyone on this Committee wants the DEATH of a young person on their conscience.” |
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| Councillor Smith “Oh, so now it’s OUR fault if some young FOOL takes a drug which kills them? That’s not our responsibility.” |
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| Councillor Jones “No. But it IS our responsibility to make sure that clubs are made as safe as possible for the customers. The issue is NOT about whether we object to people using drugs. It’s about whether we allow a club to open KNOWING that the owners haven’t done everything they can to make it SAFE.” |
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