Calls by the Special Counsel assisting the Ice Inquiry to decriminalise all drugs should be a wakeup call for the Premier and all the evidence she needs to treat drug use as a health issue rather than a criminal one according to Cate Faehrmann, Greens MP and spokesperson for drug law reform & harm reduction.
Cate has given notice of her intention to introduce legislation into the NSW Parliament in the first half of next year to decriminalise all drugs.
“This call for decriminalisation by some of NSW’s best legal minds is just the latest in a long line of experts calling on the Premier to adopt an evidence-based approach to drug policy to reduce harm and save lives,” said Ms Faehrmann.
“We know the war on drugs has failed. Even the NSW Crime Commission has acknowledged that while seizures and arrests have increased this has had little to no effect on the availability of prohibited drugs.
“We can’t stop people taking drugs, but we can ensure far fewer people die from them.
“Treating drug use as a health issue rather than a criminal one means decriminalising all drugs ensuring people are able to seek help when they need it without the fear of retribution. It also means pill testing and getting rid of sniffer dogs.
“Countries which have adopted a health based approach to drug use have seen drug related harms plummet and have been able to divert police resources towards serious crimes.
“When will the premier finally acknowledge the overwhelming evidence in front of her that the war on drugs has failed and that the greatest harms associated with drugs are because they are illegal?” said Ms Faehrmann.
