A New Drug Policy Newsletter
The latest in drug policy from across Australia and around the world.
Hello!
I’m Jack Revell, Sydney-based freelance writer covering arts and culture. I focus on drug policy-related stories and read a tonne of them each week. I’m turning this passion into a useful resource for individuals such as yourself to keep on top of the news.
Each Friday I publish a round-up of the top stories in policy, public perception, commercial developments, legal, social, and health issues around alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs from the week.
If you like the sound of this, feel free to pass it onto friends or colleagues.
Thanks and I hope you have a great weekend!
Changing Habits Revealed in National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2019
The big news this week comes after Thursday’s release of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s drug survey. The report shows that overall illicit drug use has increased but smoking rates are at their lowest ever. More Australians now support the legalisation of cannabis than oppose it, 57% back the idea of pill testing, and cocaine use is at its highest level in 2 decades. Interestingly, ‘today’s young people are less likely to smoke, drink and use illicit drugs’ compared with their 2001 counterparts.
The government survey is conducted every three years to get an idea of how Aussies over the age of 14 use tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs. You can read the report in full here.
Pandemic Profits ‘Through the Roof’ as Drug Dealers Hike Prices
Illicit drugs are being sold at up to double pre-lockdown prices in some parts of the country, The SMH reports. This is thought to be because drug dealers are using the pandemic as an excuse to raise prices rather than the global lockdown affecting supply.
New Study Finds ‘Distress and pain’ Drives Opioid Abuse
A new study by researchers from Monash University, Turning Point, and Ambulance Victoria concludes that psychological distress, physical pain, and social stress are among the leading factors driving opioid addiction. This challenges the typical narrative around opioid users as primarily motivated by recreational desires.
Victoria’s New Police Chief Outlines ‘Back-to-Basics’ Strategy
Victoria’s new Chief Commissioner Shane Patton plans to reintroduce ‘intense local street policing’, reports The Age. In a new drug strategy, police will ‘continue to target syndicate heads’ but focus more keenly on street dealers and methamphetamine as a priority.
Big Week for Australia’s Medical Cannabis Industry
MCG Pharma, one of the countries biggest medical cannabis companies, has been granted permission to proceed with its botanical research project in collaboration with RMIT University to test the effects of cannabis on cancer cells.
The WA-based Creso Pharma has received a $900,000 order for its Canadian-grown medical cannabis from Israeli firm Univo Pharmaceuticals.
In Victoria, Murray Meds is trialling outdoor cannabis cultivation in the hopes of lowering the high price of Australia’s medical cannabis.
Around the World
New Zealand Set to Legalise Cannabis in September
Across the Tasman, Kiwis will be given the vote over whether or not to legalise and regulate the sale of cannabis with the ‘yes’ vote appearing to lead by a 5-point margin.
New research from the Univerity of Ortega shows young Maori are more likely to be adversely affected by the current legal framework around cannabis.
If passed, the new laws would see our neighbours over the age of 20 able to purchase up to 14 grams of dried cannabis per day from licensed outlets.
Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police Call for Decriminalization
A report by the association’s special committee on decriminalisation of illicit drugs argues that simple possession ought not to be a criminal issue and calls for a new national task force to research drug policy reform. Staff Sgt Conor King stated ‘people should not be arrested for being addicted to drugs’.
Drug Addicts in Scotland Protected from Worst of Pandemic Proves Rapid Change Possible
The rapid support given to drug addicts during the pandemic proves there is no excuse for delays in reform, claims drug expert in Scotland. Dr Robert Peat, chair of the Dundee Drugs Commission review body, said the fact home delivery of methadone for vulnerable addicts had been rapidly established was evidence of ‘how quickly change can be made’.
US Congress Debates Legal Staus of Psychedelics
Congress has taken a break from its busy schedule of discussing the numerous ongoing crises in the country to debate the legal status of ‘magic’ mushrooms in Washington DC. Lawmakers argued they did not want to the countries capital to become a drug hotspot but decided not to hamper ongoing decriminalisation efforts.
Safe Injection Site in US Offers Solutions for Opioid Epidemic
Researchers have revealed that a secret trial-site of a medically supervised injection room has overseen over 10,000 injections without a single fatality, reports The Washington Post. This comes amid soaring overdose rates since the pandemic and an opioid crisis that has claimed the lives of more than 400,000 Americans since 2000.
Worth a watch: Netflix Release New Series ‘The Business of Drugs’
A former CIA analyst investigates the economics of six illicit substances in the US.
