Drug Law Reform has recently been brought back into the spotlight with well publicised visits from prominent US Law reform proponents Norm Stamper (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition - LEAP) and Ethan Nadelman (Drug Policy Alliance) during 2010 and 2011. While the media has been reporting heavily on this issue from both sides, any one working in the AOD sector would have to agree that the "war on drugs (users)" has been a dismal failure and we need to start pushing the politicians to begin the process of drug law reform in Australia.
More recently with the release on 3rd April 2012 of the Australia 21 report "The Prohibition of Illicit Drugs is Killing and Criminalising Our Children and we are Letting it Happen" has brought the idea of drug law reform and decriminalisation of Illicit drugs full pelt onto the front page of papers and as headline stories on major radio stations.
Below is a collection of video clips, media articles, reports, publications and other links focusing on drug law reform both nationally and internationally. The first section is in direct response to the Australia 21 report, with the remaining a more broader coverage of all drug law refrom media articles.
- Radio National Drive Program - Panel Discussion on Drug Law Reform - 3rd April 2012
- War over decriminalising drugs - Sky News Australia
- Gillard says no to any softening of drug laws - The Age
- The war has failed - time now for new tactics - Brisbane Times
- Should we decriminalise drugs? - Herald Sun
- We need to keep on saying no to drugs - Herald Sun
- PM not in favour of decriminalisation of any drug laws - The Australian
- PM rejects call for decriminalisation - The Age
- Australia foreign minister calls for decriminalisation of low-level drug use - Telegraph.co.uk
- Minister backs decriminalisation of drugs - News24
- Has Australia lost its war on drugs? - ABC Online
- War on drugs never ends: Vic police - Ninemsn
- Australian FM backs some decriminalisation of drugs - AsiaOne
- Victorian Government rejects legalisation of drugs - ABC Online
- Australian states quietly lead the way on drug reform - ABC Online
- No drugs decriminalisation in Vic - Sky News Australia
- PM opposed to decriminalising drugs - The Australian
- Carr on drugs war, Burma; US university shooting shock - ABC Online (blog)
- Australian Government should legalise and tax drugs, Australia21 says - NEWS.com.au - Apr 2, 2012
- High resistance to legalise drugs - govt - Sky News Australia - Apr 2, 2012
- A report released today calls for a softer approach on low-level drug crime - The Australian - Apr 2, 2012
- Call to ease war on drugs - The Australian - Apr 2, 2012
- Carr calls for 'de facto decriminalisation' of some drugs - Sydney Morning Herald - Apr 2, 2012
- Gillard and Carr divided over decriminalisation of drugs - Sydney Morning Herald - Apr 2, 2012
- Carr joins calls for rethink of drugs laws - ABC Online - Apr 2, 2012
- Report calls for rethink on war on drugs - Sky News Australia - Apr 2, 2012
- Roxon warns of high bar to legalise drugs - NEWS.com.au - Apr 2, 2012
- Carr urges drug reform - The Age - Apr 2, 2012
- 'War on drugs' labelled a failure - Sydney Morning Herald - Apr 2, 2012
- It's over. We've lost drugs war, report says - The Australian - Apr 2, 2012
- Time to rethink war on drugs: think tank - Brisbane Times - Apr 2, 2012
- PM, Carr disagree on decriminalising drugs - Brisbane Times - Apr 2, 2012
- Drugs war 'a failure' - Sydney Morning Herald - Apr 2, 2012
- Top cops, politicians say the war on narcotics has failed - Herald Sun - Apr 2, 2012
- The drugs fight saves lives - Herald Sun - Apr 2, 2012
- Many facets to drug battle - Geelong Advertiser
- Leaders sticking with war on drugs - Adelaide Now
- Drug war lost - Newcastle Herald (blog)
- Is the war on drugs lost? - Northern Star
- Maybe tougher penalties are the correct answer to drugs problem - Ballarat Courier
- Australia report on drug policy - Drug WarRant
- New push for drug decriminalisation - Pakenham Cardinia Leader
- Even the police think our drugs laws are absurd - Evening Standard
- Australians divided on drug use - Shanghai Daily (subscription)
- War on drugs has failed: report - The Sunshine Coast Daily
- Australian minister calls for rethink of drug laws - Radio Australia News
- Big Name Australians Call for End to Drug War - Hawaii News Daily
- Rap sheet: does Bob Carr's record on drug reform stand up? - The Conversation
- Australian FM Backs Some Decriminalization of Drugs -Jakarta Globe
- New Report Bats for Partial Legalisation of Addictive Drugs - International Business Times AU
- The War on Drugs has failed – now what? - The Conversation - Apr 2, 2012
- Wollongong treatment centre welcomes debate on drug policy - ABC Local - Apr 2, 2012
- Report urges politicians to accept war on drugs has failed - Adelaide Now - Apr 2, 2012
- Govt open to debate on tackling drug use - BigPond News - Apr 2, 2012
- We've lost drugs war, report says - Perth Now - Apr 2, 2012
- Australia21 report calls for consideration of drug decriminalisation - Adelaide Now - Apr 2, 2012
- Time for Australia to abandon "failed war on drugs" - The Conversation - Apr 1, 2012
- Time to rethink war on drugs: think tank - Brisbane Times - Apr 2, 2012
- PM, Carr disagree on decriminalising drugs - Brisbane Times - Apr 2, 2012
- Drugs war 'a failure' - Sydney Morning Herald - Apr 2, 2012
- Top cops, politicians say the war on narcotics has failed - Herald Sun - Apr 2, 2012
- The drugs fight saves lives - Herald Sun - Apr 2, 2012
- Many facets to drug battle - Geelong Advertiser
- Leaders sticking with war on drugs - Adelaide Now
- Drug war lost - Newcastle Herald (blog)
- Is the war on drugs lost? - Northern Star
- Maybe tougher penalties are the correct answer to drugs problem - Ballarat Courier
- Australia report on drug policy - Drug WarRant
- New push for drug decriminalisation - Pakenham Cardinia Leader
- Even the police think our drugs laws are absurd - Evening Standard
- Australians divided on drug use - Shanghai Daily (subscription)
- War on drugs has failed: report - The Sunshine Coast Daily
- Australian minister calls for rethink of drug laws - Radio Australia News
- Big Name Australians Call for End to Drug War - Hawaii News Daily
- Rap sheet: does Bob Carr's record on drug reform stand up? - The Conversation
- Australian FM Backs Some Decriminalization of Drugs - Jakarta Globe
- New Report Bats for Partial Legalisation of Addictive Drugs - International Business Times AU
- The War on Drugs has failed – now what? - The Conversation - Apr 2, 2012
- Wollongong treatment centre welcomes debate on drug policy - ABC Local - Apr 2, 2012
- Report urges politicians to accept war on drugs has failed - Adelaide Now - Apr 2, 2012
- Govt open to debate on tackling drug use - BigPond News - Apr 2, 2012
- We've lost drugs war, report says - Perth Now - Apr 2, 2012
- Time for Australia to abandon "failed war on drugs" - The Conversation - Apr 1, 2012
Debate "All drugs should be legalised"
6 PM with George Negus - Call for drugs to be decriminalised
Ten News Clip - Drug Debate
- NEW: War On Drugs Report, Global Commision on Drug Policy
- Peter Wilby, Many agree, none act: to ease untold misery, legalise drugs, The Gaurdian UK
- Editorial, To win drug war, treat, regulate, Virginian Pilot
- Drug Policy Alliance, United States Conference of Mayors Unanimously Passes Resolution Calling the War on Drugs a Failed Policy That is Driving Over-incarceration and Racial Disparities, Common Dreams
- Bombay High Court overturns mandatory death penalty for drug offences; first in the world to do so, Lawyers Collective
- Jimmy Carter (39th US President), Call Off The Global Drug War, New York Times
- Matin Beckford, It's Time to Decriminalise Drugs, Say Peers, The Telegraph
- Kathy Gyngell, Drug decriminalisation - the new orthodoxy, Centre for Policy Studies
- Intelligence Squared (IQ2) Debate - All Drugs Should Be Legalised,10th May 2011 featuring Alex Wodak (for) and Jade Lewis (against)
- Michael Duffy, The War On Drugs: Who's Winning?, National Times
- Michael Duffy, Winning the War On Drugs: The Costs, Sydney Morning Herald
- Enjoli Liston, UN drugs chief sticks to punitive policy despite major failings, The Independant
- Nick Butterly, Liberals urge soft line on drugs, West Australian
- Ethan Nadelmen, Drug War Anniversary a Time for Reflection and Action , The Huffington Post
- Colombia may consider legalising drugs, The Australian
- Stephen McMahon, Amelia Harris, Liberal MP Bernie Finn wants death penalty for drug lords but victims say don't execute, Herald Sun
- James Valentine, It's no crime, we're just having a good time, The Australian
- Alex Wodak, Agony Over Ecstasy is Helping No One, The Age
- President Obama answering a question from Mackenzie Allen (LEAP)
- Adele Horin, Inject Reality Into Drugs Debate, Sydney Morning Herald
- Craig Fry, Drug Policy Stalls in Law-and-Order Gear, Sydney Morning Herald
- Miranda Devine, It's No Time to Stop Weeding The Weed, Herald Sun
- Citizens Electoral Council of Australia, Soros escalates ‘war for dope’ down under, www.Scoop.co.nz
- Maia Szalavitz, Portugal's Drug Experience: New Study Confirms Decriminalization Was a Success, Time Healthland
- James Eyers, The Case for Dicriminalising Drugs, The Weekend Australian Financial Review (PDF, 141 Kb)
- Sting Calls For legalisation of Marijuana, Sydney Morning Herald
- After The War On Drugs: Blueprint For Regulation, Transform Drug Policy Foundation (PDF, 3 Mb)
- Caitlin Hughes, Alex Stevens, The Effects of Decriminalsation of Drug Use in Portugal, Beckley Foundation (PDF, 307 KB)
- Glenn Greenwald, Drug Decriminalisation in Portugal: Lessons For Creating Fair and Successful Drug Policy, CATO Institute (PDF, 4 Mb)
- Joanne Csete, From the Mountaintops: What the World Can Learn from Drug Policy Change in Switzerland, Open Society InstituteWayne Hall, What Would
- Evidence-Informed Drug Policies Look Like?, Addiction Editorial (PDF, 70 Kb)
- Evan Wood et al, The War on Drugs: A Devastating Public-Policy Disaster, The Lancet (PDF, 194 Kb)
- Harry Levine & Craig Reinarman, Trouble with Drink and Drugs: Why Prohibition and Criminalisation Matter, Addiction (PDF, 84 Kb)
- Craig Reinarman and Harry G. Levine, Crack in the Rearview Mirror: Deconstructing Drug War Mythology, Social Justice, (PDF, 234 Kb)
- Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation
- Drug Policy Alliance
- Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP)
- Family & Friends for Drug Law Reform
AIVL Policy Papers
- Harmonising Drug Control Laws with Public Health Approaches (PDF, 192)
- Enshrining a Human Rights Framework (PDF, 132 Kb)
- Social, Legal, Economic & Cultural Determinants of Health (PDF, 154 Kb)
- Impact of Stigma & Discrimination (PDF, 160 Kb)
- Impact of Illegality & Criminalisation (PDF, 158 Kb)
Ethan Nadelman Related Media
- Ethan Nadelman Biography
- National Press Club Address - Ethan Nadelman (Video)
- ADLRF Media Release (PDF, 315 Kb)
- 7 PM Project (Video)
- 7:30 Report (Transcript)
- Ten Morning News (Video)
- 702 ABC Sydney (Transcript, MP3)
- 2UE News Talk (MP3)
- Triple J Hack Program (MP3)
- 666 ABC Canberra (MP3)
- The Monthly (Video)
