First and foremost, legal regulation is about reducing harm. The current approach to drug policy in Australia maximises the risks involved with taking drugs. 

Under a legally regulated system, users would be more aware of the dangers posed by their choice to take drugs because of increased access to education and health information. They would also be able to precisely control what enters their bodies, which is impossible if users buy drugs from an unregulated market.

A shift in focus from policing to public health would also enable more investment in harm reduction initiatives. In 2021, the federal and state governments spent $5.45 billion on enforcement, almost triple the combined amount of funding on harm reduction, prevention, and treatment. Moreover, the total spending on law enforcement increased fivefold from 2016. (report from UNSW Syddney)