Claims war is over draw new lines in divisive battle
Claims war is over draw new lines in divisive battle
''PLAN A clearly doesn't work, we should discuss the options for Plan B.'' The words of Dr Alex Wodak, the president of the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation, set the tone for a robust public forum on drug decriminalisation last night, hosted by the Herald's publisher and editor-in-chief, Peter Fray, at the University of Sydney.
More than 200 people gathered for the forum. Many were drawn to the discussion because they had not made up their minds on decriminalisation.
Most of the experts on the panel were in favour of decriminalisation, though a Herald/Nielsen poll found two-thirds of Australians opposed it.
Tony Trimingham, the chief executive of Family Drug Support, said he was a drugs ''agnostic'' until his 23-year-old son, Damien, died of a heroin overdose in 1997. Mr Trimingham said he believed in decriminalisation and would ''fight to the day I die to bring about these reforms''.
''I speak for the 9000 young Australians who died since Damien's death. Nine thousand, that's a national disgrace. Families don't support, condone or promote drug use; we would far rather they gave up using. However reality teaches us that people do make foolish choices.''
He had seen drug addicts go on to live successful lives, including a woman who had overdosed 14 times who ended up studying medicine, and they had to have the right to live. ''All of them have a right to health, treatment, wellbeing and human rights. Remember, we're taking about people. We're talking about our sons, our daughters and sisters and our brothers.''
Dr Wodak said research showed present drug policy was not stemming supply, with 2011 data indicating the vast majority of drug users found hydroponic cannabis and heroin easy or very easy to obtain. ''Drugs should be redefined as … a health and social issue,'' he said.
Dr Wodak is a board member of Australia21, a group of experts and high-profile citizens who have declared the ''war on drugs'' a failed policy and called for a debate on new directions.
Gary Christian, the secretary and research director at Drug Free Australia, spoke against decriminalisation. He said only 6 per cent of the world's population used illegal drugs.
''Why would we legalise something for such a tiny minority?'' he said.
He said Australia had never had a war on drugs, citing the existence of injecting rooms.
''We have blitzes on drink driving which have failed to eradicate it, but we don't say we're going to legalise it now. [It's] exactly the same with drugs - the police work to contain the behaviour.''
The senior Herald writer and author of Panic, David Marr, said politicians ''ran for the hills'' when Australia21 made its declaration.
''Here we have this great political issue that no political party is at the moment willing to touch,'' he said.
http://www.smh.com.au/national/heal...-lines-in-divisive-battle-20120521-1z1fi.html
