Right: a drugs dealer is caught in the act by police. Dealer arrests, however, are often of petty traders who deal only to support their own habit. Basic police statistics on arrests do not differentiate between major and minor dealer arrests. Found a word you're not familiar with? Double-click that word to bring up a dictionary reference to it. The dictionary page includes an audio sound file with which to actually hear the word said. |
Further implications
Australia's earlier period of experimentation with heroin injecting rooms and harm minimisation strategies was in part a response to the threatened spread of HIV and other public health risks, such as hepatises, associated with heroin injecting.
The pendulum has now swung in the opposite direction and, despite a recommendation from the Australia21 group, that we revisit our national drug control policies, this issue seems unlikely to find traction at either a state or national level.
A majority of Australians do not support drug decriminalisation. Legislators would be wary of decriminalising drug use as this is a policy opposed by a most voters.
97% of Australians disapprove of the regular use of heroin, 96% disapprove of the regular use of amphetamines or cocaine, and 76.5% disapprove of the regular use of cannabis.
An Age/Nielsen poll taken this month found two-thirds of Australians oppose decriminalisation. The finding reflects little change in attitudes from a similar poll taken 13 years ago.
Attitudes on the issue appear to be entrenched, with just 4 per cent of those polled saying they neither supported nor opposed decriminalisation and 2 per cent saying they did not know.
A similar poll in March 1999, soon after then prime minister John Howard had controversially blocked a heroin trial in the ACT, showed 71 per cent opposed decriminalisation of heroin use.
Nielsen polling director John Stirton said that while there was stronger support for specific or limited changes such as heroin trials, the latest poll showed little real change on the overall issue of decriminalisation, given the poll's margin of error of 2.8 per cent.
Given the extent to which populism and thus polls appear to be driving the current political agenda, especially at a federal level, it seems unlikely there will be any immanent liberalisation of Australia's drug control policies.