Ex-NSW DPP boss pushes to legalise drugs

[Chip (OP)]

source: http://www.9news.com.au/national/2016/02/19/15/03/ex-nsw-dpp-boss-pushes-to-legalise-drugs#JK3bdtijF7JSo942.99

Ex-NSW DPP boss pushes to legalise drugs


Nicholas Cowdery QC. (AAP)

Former NSW director of public prosecutions Nicholas Cowdery is pushing to get all illicit drugs decriminalised.

He joined federal Australian Greens leader Richard Di Natale in Sydney on Friday to call on Australian governments to reconsider treating drug users as criminals.

"I am calling on the legalisation, regulation, control and taxation of all drugs," Mr Cowdery said.

"It's extremely frustrating to see the criminal justice system brought in to attach criminal records and all of the trauma that goes with it to people that are not criminals and who are not harming society."

The legal veteran, who has defended and prosecuted drug users, said different types of drugs should be addressed case by case.

He says reforms shouldn't happen overnight, but the current system is flawed.

Though the Greens aren't advocating to legalise all drugs, Senator Di Natale believes drug addictions could be treated better in the health system.

He said funds tied up dealing with drug users in the criminal justice system could be diverted into rehabilitation resources if personal use was decriminalised.

"Money wasted on policing and the courts ... that money should be spent providing treatment," he said.

"Treating drug use as a criminal matter, rather than a health matter, clearly isn't working."

While maintaining the law should still go after dealers and drug manufactures, Senator Di Natale pointed to the success experienced by Portugal's decriminalisation model.

Under the Portuguese model, drug users are dealt with outside the courts with social workers and psychologists who sentence them on a case-by-case basis to a range of measures including rehab, fines and travel bans.

The move has been backed by families who have lost children to drug addictions.

Family Drug Support CEO Tony Trimingham, whose son overdosed 19 years ago, said he was tired of families being used to justify criminalisation.

"I'm sick of people speaking for us ... saying families would not want decriminalisation or injecting rooms," he said.

"But I can tell you, any family would rather have their child alive than dead and their children using drugs than dead."

Mr Trimingham said families struggled to cope with the daily issues that came with drug use and were only burdened further by the possibility of their loved ones facing criminal charges.

© AAP 2016

[Guts]

Fuck decriminalization, we need out right legalization. The stance here is still "poor junkie doesn't know any better and needs our help". Don't pay for rehab, buy me drugs. My drug dealer is my friend.

[Chip (OP)]

Fuck decriminalization, we need out right legalization. The stance here is still "poor junkie doesn't know any better and needs our help". Don't pay for rehab, buy me drugs. My drug dealer is my friend.

... but it's a start ... baby steps ...