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.
Monica BarrattLast month, we published findings from the first survey of synthetic cannabis users in Australia. When we asked people why they had first used synthetic cannabis, its legal status was an important reason.
Monica BarrattThe Australia21 report argues the “war on drugs” has failed and we should consider other options for controlling drugs, such as decriminalisation or regulation. In addition to these arguments, an important challenge for drug prohibition has been overlooked in the drugs debate so far: the internet.
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