Australians want to see a health and safety approach to tackling drug problems instead of locking people up, according to the latest national study by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
This has prompted the Take Control Campaign for safer, saner drug laws to call for evidence-based reform that treats problematic drug use instead of punishing it.
Today’s National Drug Strategy Household Survey found that a majority of respondents want to see treatment and education for those who have problems with drugs like ice, heroin and ecstasy, as opposed to locking them up. Referral to specialist programs for people found in possession of a range of illicit drugs, including methamphetamine (49%), ecstasy (40%) and heroin (51%), had the highest support among Australians, while the number of advocates for imprisonment had fallen.
Matt Noffs, CEO of the Ted Noffs Foundation, the largest provider of drug treatment services for young people, and also a spokesperson for the Take Control campaign for safer, saner drug laws, said:
“Health and safety reform is now inevitable. Australians increasingly want governments to take control of the drug problem through such measures. While our laws and government policies prioritise a criminal response, most Australians don’t.
“The trend shows increasing support for health and safety measures as a first response to drug problems. But I want to be clear: this is not Australians saying ‘I don’t want law enforcement.’
“Instead, Australians want police to deal with those who commit assault and robbery, not as an overbearing and risky response to youthful experimentation at music festivals.
“Law enforcement and health worked together in the 90s to combat the heroin crisis and they did so effectively. That’s the balance we need and the desire for this is reflected in the national survey results.”
The survey also found that popular support for harm-minimisation through pill testing was at 57%, while more Australians prioritised funding for education over law enforcement for the first time.
Noffs continued:
“If we want to offset the negative consequences of drug use, we have to provide treatment and an approach that prioritises safety over punishment. Medical experts, and now most Australians, know this is the answer. Now our governments need to catch up.
“But this is all a year old now, so what does it mean in the context of a pandemic? Those who were poor and suffering before COVID-19 hit will struggle with the economic decline over the next few years. We see it every day in our treatment facilities – young people without hope have turned to drugs and are in desperate need of support.
“As people’s economic prospects and mental health deteriorate, I fully expect to see increased self-medication at the very least.
“Overall, drug use has been declining for years. If we want to continue that trend, we need to respond quickly to support those who are most at risk – not by locking them away, but by providing the treatment they need.”
Matt Noffs is the CEO of the Ted Noffs Foundation, spokesperson for the Take Control Campaign for Safer, Saner Drug Laws and author of “Breaking the Ice” and “Addicted?
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