Drugs industry

The current debate around the use of currently illicit drugs in the Northern Territory provides a perfect opportunity for the government and the community to look at alternatives to the current approach of prohibition.

Psychedelics, hallucinogens, opiate based substances, solvents and a variety of plants have been used since the birth of humanity and in many cultures around the world.

Many countries in Europe are starting to see the folly of their ways as they move away from a zero tolerance approach to accepting that drug use is part of human culture and cannot be legislated out of existence.

The NT Government could make peace with drugs and end the "war on drug users". The currently illicit drug industry in Australia could be nationalised. In the short term, the NT government could step in and establish some sort of regulatory framework.

Cannabis retailers could be licensed with Amsterdam style "coffee shops" in the city and major regional centres and a series of suburban dealers could be licensed. The NT government could establish retail outlets for other currently illicit drugs such has cocaine, ecstasy, LSD, magic mushrooms, opium and heroin. Thhese drugs should only be available to people who are over the age of 18 (or 16, but that is another debate.)

The subsequent reduction in the cost of policing and jailing drug users could be used to pay for increased treatment options and improved health services for users. Increased revenue would be of great assistance to help to prop up our ailing public health system.

Or instead, the NT government can push its head further into the sand with more people jailed, more drug overdoses, more HIV and HCV infections, an increase in property crime and more and more money wasted on a pointless exercise.

Gary Meyerhoff
Darwin

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org
Pubdate: 24th April 2002
Source: Green Left Weekly
Author: Gary Meyerhoff (Letter to the editor)
Website: http://www.greenleft.org.au