Legalising drugs - another campaign!

A new report has been launched today - which recommends the legalisation of drugs.
Yes, we know you think this has all been discussed and rejected before. But those who want drugs legalised are very persistent!

The title of the Report?

"Alternatives to Prohibition - Illicit drugs: How we can stop killing and criminalising young Australians"

They claim, "The prohibition of illicit drugs is killing and criminalising our children and we are all letting it happen."

That sums up the arguments of those who are behind the report.
The Report, by Australia21, claims that legalising drugs will stop the 'problem'.
They begin the Executive Summary "It is time to reopen the national debate about drug use, its regulation and control. In June 2011 a prestigious Global Commission stated that the 40-year "War on Drugs" has failed, with devastating consequences for individuals and societies around the world. . . The Australian group agreed with the Global Commission that the international and Australian prohibition of the use of certain "illicit" drugs has failed comprehensively."

This is not a new argument - it is an old argument.
One that has been pursued by Dr Alex Wodak for a long time. Not surprisingly, he was promoting the report on radio this morning - he is calling for the legalisation of drugs in Australia.

Interestingly, Dr Wodak became a member of the Board of Australia21 recently - announced on their blog this week (1 April - read it here). Their Discussion page about the illicit drug issue names Alex Wodak as part of the group dealing with the issue - click here. So he is very influential in this group and their Report.
Read the full 28 page Report - click here.

The only effective way to deal with the drug problem is to deal with the problems that lead people to take drugs - and to help them get off drugs without propping them up with other drugs.

Unfortunately, the new Foreign Minister, Bob Carr, said he supported the idea of legalising drugs - at least what he described as 'soft' drugs. Read the article with his comments: click here.

Fortunately the Prime Minister Julia Gillard said that drugs should NOT be legalised.
Attorney-General Nicola Roxon spoke to Sky News ...

Ms Roxon said she was open to discussion on the issue but would have to be "completely convinced" before supporting any changes. "Frankly, personally I am quite sceptical," Ms Roxon told Sky News. "It's a high risk area; I am always open to discussion but this would be quite a big step to take. "I think we need to be convinced that if we did lessen the regulation in some areas that it would have both a positive impact on reducing the numbers of people taking drugs and any impact it might have on the criminal spiral that potentially involved with."

Read media reports on their statements:
PM statement - click here. Attorney-General statements: click here.

ACTION:
Please write to the Prime Minister and the Attorney-General.
Congratulate the Prime Minister on her statements opposing the legalisation or decriminalisation of drugs in Australia and encourage her to stand firm on this issue.
Encourage the Attorney-General to reject any proposal to legalise drugs.

PM Julia Gillard - Contact form: click here

Attorney-General Nicola Roxon - contact page

UPDATE:
Australia 21 released a second report - on alternatives to prohibition - in the second half of 2012.
it is titled Alternatives to Prohibition: Illicit drugs: How we can stop killing and criminalising young Australians.

Click here to download and read their report.

They recommend injecting rooms and so on - an approach that doesn't work!
Again, given that one of the co-authors is Alex Wodak, it is NO SURPRISE to read their pro-drug-legalisation report!
On the other hand, Drug Free Australia has several detailed documetns about the failure of the Sydney Injecting Room at King's Cross.
Read The case for closure, The case for closure 2010 update and DFA Analysis of KPMG Evaluation.