The main concern of politicians should be to ensure the wellbeing and security of citizens, yet, in supporting prohibition, most have become entrenched in a position that delivers the opposite result. Powerful vested interests in law enforcement, corrections, big parma and business that benefit from the status quo are among the causes of government intransigence. Also, the concentration of media ownership in Australia sensationalises and corrupts the national debate.

Of course, there are good-faith reasons for supporting prohibition, but the mounting evidence increasingly shows politicians out-of-step with reality and public opinion. Notable former law enforcement officials, including former AFP commissioner Mick Palmer, have expressed support for liberal drug law reform. The Australian public now mostly favours decriminalisation of some drugs, which is also the position of the United Nations.  Legal regulation is a further step along the way that may seem unlikely at this point, but we believe that it will become the logical end goal of reform.