Monica BarrattWhat can Australia’s Victoria learn from Canada’s Victoria? was hosted by the Social Equity Research Centre, RMIT University, and Co-hosted by the Students for Sensible Drug Policy, Harm Reduction Victoria, Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association, Yarra Drug and Health Forum and the Victorian Substance Use Research Forum.
Monica BarrattThis week, I co-led the launch of a public campaign to urge the Victorian government to implement drug checking in Victoria. We launched a statement signed by 77 organisations on the steps of parliament on Monday. The statement was led by VAADA and written by myself and Isabelle Volpe from RMIT University.
Monica BarrattThe problem with banning is that banning is one of the major causes of this problem in the first place. To take the example of cannabis, we currently prohibit the use of cannabis, although if someone is caught with personal use amounts of cannabis, they will either be fined or diverted for first offences across Australia.
Monica BarrattHaving followed this issue closely and recently published an article in The Conversation outlining the various policy responses Australia might consider in response to emerging psychoactive drugs, I was surprised to read about the passing of new commonwealth legislation amending the Criminal Code 1995 in The Age yesterday.
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