Across the globe, there is a growing movement to legalise illicit drugs. In Australia this movement is gaining momentum, because of a handful of people who have either been misinformed, or worse, have vested interests.

The most recent argument to legalise drugs in Australia is that it would ‘take away the criminal element’ and put the control of substances into the hands of our governments. Over the past year or so, there has been an increase in drive-by shootings and gang violence in our cities. Just today, our news media reports that alcohol and drugs fuel more than 64% of assaults in public places.

The proponents of drug legalisation claim that because illicit drugs remain illegal, the criminal elements are the only ones benefiting – and conducting their ‘business’ in a manner that endangers our communities.

What they fail acknowledge is that:

  1. Australia’s drug laws need to be strengthened, with stricter penalties for manufacture and dealing. This would be more of a disincentive than is currently the case, where most dealers often just receive warnings, or very light punishment – effectively a ‘slap on the wrist’, even for multiple repeat offenders.
  2. Sweden, with its more restrictive drug policy, does not have the level of crime and gang warfare that appears to be increasing in Australia. Indeed, Sweden remains the lowest in per capital drug use in Europe.
  3. In Australia, we have long waiting lists for people who are seeking drug rehabilitation; and yet there is a supervised injecting facility (SIF) in Sydney that consumes vast funding resources, without any evidence that people are offered the option of recovery. Currently there is a push for a further SIF in Melbourne!
  4. In Sweden, priority is given to recovery-based treatment programs, as early as possible after drug use has been detected.
  5. Legalising tobacco and alcohol has not stopped the criminal elements – such as a tobacco black market, or selling alcohol to minors in Australia and elsewhere
  6. Legalising tobacco and alcohol has not provided sufficient taxation to cover the increasing burden of disease created by the use and abuse of these substances, in all jurisdictions in Australia

It is the drugs that are harmful, and those which are responsible for the most violence, psychotic behaviours, child abuse and neglect. If we cannot control our legal drugs, why would we expect to be able to do so by legalising the illicits?

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