. . . This plan was drawn up during a weekend meeting [in 1998] of the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation by a large group which included families and friends of drug users, drug users, politicians (serving and retired), community workers, a former policeman and a clinician. Grateful thanks to all who contributed.

Best wishes,

Alex Wodak,

President,
Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation

Prohibition has not worked. It causes increased corruption, crime, disease and death. We aim to take the profit out of the illicit drug industry and effectively confront Australia's illicit drug problem. Therefore we advocate the following:

1 Treat drug use as a health and social issue, not a law enforcement problem.

2 Maintain penalties for unauthorised, large scale (defined) cultivation, production, transport, sale and possession of all drugs.

3 Fund equally law enforcement, education and treatment.

4 Provide well funded, research based, effective, drug education for the community and schools to be developed by education and health professionals.

5 Remove criminal sanctions for the personal use of illicit drugs.

6 Regulate and tax commercial production and sale of cannabis.

7 Expand drug treatment and needle exchange programs to meet demand and establish safe injecting facilities.

8 Adopt non-custodial sentencing options such as drug treatment, counselling or community service orders for those apprehended for minor drug related offences.

9 Trial and rigorously evaluate a wide range of treatment options including the medical prescription of heroin.

10 Expand Australia's successful harm reduction approach to drugs for the benefit and well-being of all members of the community.

For further information call the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation: (02) 6205 0166

Final draft: Monday, May 25, 1998