Drug prohibition has been fatal for some, and the impacts of criminal conviction have been life altering for others. 

The moral compass is changing. Church groups, historically conservative, are now supporting drug decriminalisation and harm reduction. Will the Australian government follow suit?

In their own words, the latest National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program Report from the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC) contains some “disturbing data” on Australia’s drug use.

So, what have Australians been up to?

Queensland has long been one of the most conservative states in Australia, with a history of equally as conservative drug laws. 

Soon, it will be home to some of the most relaxed drug laws in the country.

Mobile injection facilities are a cost-effective alternative to stand-alone injecting rooms. Mobile services will provide access to a safe injecting environment for Regional Victorians, preventing overdose deaths and ensuring more equitable access to harm-reduction services across the state.

Australia has a drug problem

In 2020 alone, as a nation we spent over $10 billion on illicit drugs, and 1,788 Australians lost their lives to drug-related overdose.

As RACGP president Dr. Nicole Higgins puts it: “If this isn’t a wake-up call, I don’t know what is”.

Here's what we can learn from Drug Testing programs overseas

Queensland will become the second Australian jurisdiction to offer pill testing. While the timeline is yet to be announced, once up and running, Queenslanders who use illicit drugs can have them checked to see what they actually contain before taking them.

This is likely to reduce the risk of people overdosing on both unexpected and high-potency substances, as well as reducing illness and death from harmful additives and mixtures.

People all over the world are warming up to the idea of legalising cannabis, a drug widely regarded as relatively harmless.

But can legal drug regulation work with cocaine? Let’s put it to the test.

 ADHD and Addictions

Unfortunately, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is largely misunderstood as a diagnosis, often thought to be a childhood disorder which does not persist into the adult years. This is a common misconception and the prevalence of ADHD in the adult community is estimated to be anywhere between 5 to 10% of the population.

What is MDMA?

In the 1970s, MDMA was sold legally at clubs in America until it was banned in 1985.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Australians are the world’s second highest per capita consumers of MDMA.

If MDMA consumption was an Olympic sport we would win silver.