The Australian Debate about the Legalization of Heroin and other Illicit Drugs, 1988–1991

Abstract

Since 1988 a number of public figures in Australia have argued that prohibitions on the use of cannabis, cocaine, and heroin should be relaxed because current drug policies do not reflect the comparative risks of licit and illicit drug use, and many of the social costs of illicit drug use are consequences of prohibition. They have advocated a variety of proposals for reforming drug policy. Proponents of “controlled availability” have proposed that currently illegal drugs should be provided under medical supervision to persons who are dependent on them. Critics concerned about the social costs of drug policies have advocated policies to undercut the black market by increasing the availability of currently illicit drugs. The mechanisms proposed for achieving this end have included de facto and de jure decriminalization of drug use, and the provision of currently illicit drugs to licensed adults by a government monopoly. Despite a vigorous debate, drug policies have not changed because reformers have failed to convince the public that their policies will not increase the use of illicit drugs, and hence the prevalence of drug dependence and drug-related problems.