What a load of bull http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23193062-29277,00.htmlABORIGINES are particularly vulnerable to the effects of taser guns, says a Northern Territory health body that is warning against using the weapon in remote communities.
Northern Territory police have purchased 74 tasers and are currently training officers how to use them before rolling them out across the region.
But Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory CEO, John Paterson, is calling on the police to reconsider the weapon.
He said the United Nations had condemned taser guns as a form of torture that causes acute pain.
The US Justice Department had also documented about 200 deaths related to the use of the taser gun since the year 2000, he said.
"Many of the people killed by taser guns in the US were fit and healthy young men.
"Clearly there's a great potential for these weapons to cause severe injury or death."
Given Aboriginal health standards, Mr Paterson said they would be the most likely to suffer from its side effects.
"Aboriginal people have three times the rate of heart disease and heart attacks compared to other Australians, and we typically have more contact with the police force," he said.
"If fit and healthy young men are being killed by the taser guns at such alarming rates in the US, what chance will our mob have if they are shot by police?"