THE Drug Law Reform Party firstly proposes to decriminalise cannabis for personal use, develop harm minimisation and control illegal drugs.
The issue of drug prohibition affects all the community, not just drug users. In particular, drug-related crime to fund drug use: theft, burglaries, ram-raids, bag snatching, car theft, murder, etc. Of course in a ‘perfect world’ there would be no drug abuse. However, it is not a perfect world and drugs are here to stay whether we like it or not.
Australia has been trying (unsuccessfully) to eradicate illegal, non-controlled drugs for more than 50 years. It has not worked and the problem is getting worse. The fight to prohibit drugs is a losing battle costing billions of dollars and countless lives each year. Essentially we are doing the same thing and expecting different results.
We all know where that ends.
Portugal decriminalised drug use in 2001 and there has been a significant reduction in drug related crime, HIV, AIDS, Hepatitis B and C infections. Pressure on law enforcement and the legal and correctional system has also been relieved significantly.
If kids are going to use drugs illegally or legally surely we want the least amount of risk and harm to them? Having the supply and potency of drugs managed by criminal gangs is not good policy. Criminalising, ostracising and jailing people for victimless crime is not conducive to a harmonious society.
There is a new way forward.
Mr Dalton did comment on other issues and said this was because his party was a “specific-policy party”.
