ANU Law explains: Harm minimisation underpins ACT drug law reforms
The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government has taken another step in its harm-minimisation approach to the use of illicit drugs with new laws taking effect from 28 October 2023.
This means the personal possession of small amounts of the most commonly used illicit drugs will be decriminalised in the ACT, but not everyone is supportive; a Senator warned Canberra would become Australia's 'drug capital'.
In this video, Professor Desmond Manderson FAAL FASSA FRSC explains why harsher drug laws seldom achieve positive outcomes for users, governments, society and law-enforcement agencies. Professor Manderson, an interdisciplinary researcher at the ANU College of Law and ANU Drug Observatory, argues the ACT's new laws represent a more intersectional focus on health and social issues.
Read Professor Manderson's paper, 'Turning gold into lead: The troubling fate of the police drug diversion initiative' in the 'Drug and Alcohol Review' journal (Oct 2023): https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/1...
Learn more about the ANU Drug Observatory: https://www.anu.edu.au/giving/support...