BUTANE: BAN IT

16-year-old Dayle Koch died of a butane overdose. Following Dayle's death the West Australian government required retailers to restrict the sale of butane refill bottles. Some retailers are failing to restrict sales, however:

Jessica, 16, who bought butane at Crazy Clark's on Thursday, said: "I was shocked. I just went through the checkout and they didn't even blink an eye. It was like I was buying make-up or something; they were that casual about it.''

This is silly: it's not possible to protect every single person who chooses to engage in risky behaviours. Propane is also readily abused as an inhalant. Shouldn't every gas bottle in Western Australia be locked away? There was a big bush fire, probably set by kids, near my home today. Shouldn't the sale of matches, and magnifying glasses for that matter, be restricted? Very sill.