Case Stud

The addict incidence of mental health disorders and substance misuse problems is terribly high. Compared with the non-indigenous population, the indigenous people of Australia occupied very high crime rate, indigenous peoples make up 33 per cent of the total population of Australia, while one out of every four prisoners in Australia indigenous peoples. Drug abuse is a serious issues, leading to poor mental health and high imprisonment rates(Calma & Dudgeon 2013).

A great deal of harm is caused by illicit drugs, particularly to dependant users. Drug use damages the user and diminishes an individual’s social cohesion. An individual’s dependency on illicit drugs places a heavy burden on the Australian legal system, welfare(Centrelink), the justice system(lawyers) and the medical system. The many burdens caused by the manufacture, supply and use of illicit drugs effect the efficiency of Australia. The Drugs misuse and trafficking Act 1985 (NSW) applies to over 240 drugs, including

“Drug policy regarding the control of the traditional illicit substances (opiates, cocaine, cannabis) is currently moving through upbeat times in almost all Western countries. Prohibition on the basis of repressive law enforcement not only seems to fail on a large scale, but also to create vast additional costs, problems, and harm for drug consumers, who often find themselves in extreme social, economic, and health conditions” (Fischer 1995: 389).

The perception and policy on cannabis has been clouded by ill-informed attitudes uphold by a section of society and by the legacy of the various ‘war on drugs’. A handful of countries such as SPAIAN, Netherlands, North Korea, Colombia, Portugal, and parts of United States of America, have legalised medical and recreational use of cannabis. However cannabis is currently illegal in Australia, state of Victoria soon to legalise medicinal cannabis, but the handling and benefits of the current policies are inundated by the potential social opportunity cost if legalisation was to occur. The question is, should cannabis be legalised here in Australia? The following three main pillars of arguments will illustrate why cannabis should be legalised in Australia; decriminalisation, regulation and relative ramification.

This year, a drug court will be created at the Melbourne Magistrates Court, Farrah Tomazin writes. This implementation is in conjunction with the Australian Government’s Ice Action Plan, in hopes to halt Australia’s growing methamphetamine issue. The proceedings of a drug court begin with identification of offenders in need of drug treatment, following with community

Sixty-seven percent of people who were surveyed believe that treatment should be emphasized for those who use illegal drugs rather than punishment. Only 26 percent believe jail sentencing should be emphasized. And the percentage of people who believe that the governments should do away with minimum mandatory sentences for drug crimes increased from 47 percent in 2001 to 2014. This addresses the wider question of how to deal with drug offenders in a way that will best help them rather than being sentenced to jail. Receiving treatment rather than jail sentencing is one that has come up an amount of times in the last few months, as Queensland struggles with the best way to help drug addicts. The law from the 1970s allows judges to send addict law-breakers

The use and abuse of these illicit drugs has not only become a contemporary issue but it has always been social issue as well as a health issue, social attitude towards drugs and the figures of use have changed greatly over time. During 1985, federal and state governments adopted a National Drug Strategy which included prohibition and harm reduction. Now in the state of New South Wales, it is illegal to possess, use, produce, and/or supply a drug that has been classified as being prohibited. Most common forms of drug charges in New South Wales are under the Drug Misuse and Trafficking Act 1985. Roughly every year around 150 people are imprisoned in New South Wales for drug possession, and another 600 for the supply or cultivation of drugs. During the 1980’s Australia’s then prime minister; Bob Hawke made a revelation that his daughter was a drug user. It was after this admittance that a new drug initiative was started; this initiative soon became known as the National Campaign Against Drug Abuse

It has been widely published within the Australian media that there is currently an ‘ice’ epidemic and the Australian Government has established a national Ice Taskforce in response to the drug problem the country is facing (Australian Government 2015). Ice is also known as crystal methamphetamine and comes in a translucent or white crystal or crystalline powder (Buxton & Dove, 2008). The illicit drug can be smoked, snorted, injected or swallowed and is the most potent form of methamphetamine because of its high purity (Buxton & Dove, 2008). Methamphetamine is an extremely addictive psycho-stimulant that affects the brain and central nervous system, resulting in the release of high levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine into areas of the brain that regulate feelings of pleasure (Caplan, 2008). Other types of methamphetamine include speed and base which are lower in purity then crystal methamphetamine which results in ice having worse side effects and a higher likelihood of addiction (Lewis, 2008). The consequences of ice use encompass all components of life including health, social and economic. This briefing paper aims to determine the extent of crystal methamphetamine usage in Australia and particularly Queensland. The paper will also discuss and develop recommendations on drug policy intervention that will best combat ‘ice’ usage and ultimately prevent future illicit drug use as well as minimise the harm caused to drug users and the community.

The Alcohol and other drug (AOD) field is dynamic and fluid and is constantly being shaped by a variety of forces (The Department of Health, 2004). Illicit drug use is a widespread issue around the world, posturing significant social and economic costs to the health care system, justice department and social welfare systems in both developing and developed countries (Damrongplasit, Hsiao, & Zhao, 2012). Criminal Justice and addictive drugs have been tangled in Australia and internationally for a century or more. Ever since the addictive and destructive properties were discover within certain drugs, officials have declared the production, distribution, sale and possession of drugs to be illegal (Sherman & Valenta, 2015).

In reference to this framework, Stanton’s (2005) article about youth drug-use in Australia appears to adopt many criteria following the British seven-stage processual model of moral panic. Firstly, it is evident that the emergence of a threat was identified in 1999 by O’Brien (1999, cited in Stanton 2005) when a major newspaper featured a headline image of a teenager injecting drugs. This drug-use incident was defined as a threat to societal values as it sparked widespread concern around the drug problem among Australian youth. Secondly, youth drug-use was presented in a stylised fashion, as an informed belief by mass media that drug-use is solely an individual problem where images and symbols of youth became associated with images of illicit drug-use (Stanton 2005: 51). In this case, drug-use among young Australians became a moral panic as a fear for youth

Australia currently has criminalized the use, possession and cultivation of cannabis in most states except Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory and South Australia, which have a less harsh conviction, a fine rather than imprisonment. Theses strict enforcements deter individuals from ever trying cannabis for the first time. Another advantage of criminalization would be that most drugs related arrests are those who have committed or are likely to commit more serious crimes can be taken off the streets. Most drug users are usually associated with criminal activity. Individuals who either sell, produce, use or traffic drugs aren’t likely to be constrained in

In my research I was surprise to learn that an increase in the international drug trade and drug user estimated 14.8 million Americans were illegal drug users as of 1999. I also read that the international drug trade generates $200 to $300 billion dollars a year. And due to a great amount of budget that is spent, this gives the drug trafficker an advantage over the government that has a small budget. Illegal drugs are considered to be a major source of funding for organized crime. The Canadian government has attempted to address these problems by implementing a national drug strategy, which is meant to reduce the demand for and the supply of illicit drugs. Eleven federal government departments and agencies have spent approximately $500 million annually in addressing the illegal use of drugs. In order to optimize the effectiveness of such governmental initiatives and expenditures, it is useful to achieve greater understanding of major trends relating to drug offences. This information will assist policy makers and criminal justice professionals in deterring

Currently drug abuse is the issue that has plagued almost all the societies in the world. This problem poses serious threat to the life of people both in developed and underdeveloped countries. There are different kinds of drugs such as heroin, cocaine, cannabis, hallucinogens, ecstasy, and methamphetamine and so on (McGeorge & Aitken, 1997). Young and age-old people largely use many of these drugs. People usually consider these drugs as a relief from their worries, but these drugs lead them towards addition and psychotic disorders that eventually destroy their health. Legislative authorities in almost every part of the world have been trying to save their generations from the abuse, but the use of these drugs never ended. However, these legislations help to minimize the numbers of drug users where their implementation is done properly (Hall et al., 2004). The aim of this research paper is to provide knowledge about the Cannabis Legalization in Australia and the people’s approach who favor or oppose this legalization. Cannabis drug use, impacts, cannabis legalization in Australia and its advantages and disadvantages will also

Drug abuse is a major public health issue that impacts society both directly and indirectly; every person, every community is somehow affected by drug abuse and addiction and this economic burden is not exclusive to those who use substance, it inevitably impacts those who don 't. Drugs impact our society in various ways including but not limited to lost earnings, health care expenditures, costs associated with crime, accidents, and deaths. The use of licit or illicit drugs long term, causes millions of deaths and costs billions for medical care and substance abuse rehabilitation and the effects of drug abuse extend beyond users, spilling over into the society at large, imposing increasing

ID: IN12966 To: The Government of Indonesia From: Asian Policy Advisory and Advocacy Foundation (APAAF) Scenario: A (Domestic Drug Policy) Date: February 28, 2014 Word count: <word count>