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Drug Policy Modelling Project DRUG POLICY MODELLING PROGRAM MONOGRAPH 21 AN ASSESSMENT OF ILLICIT DRUG POLICY IN AUSTRALIA (1985 TO 2010): THEMES AND TRENDS Alison Ritter, Kari Lancaster and Katrina Grech National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre Peter Reuter University of Maryland March 2011 Drug Policy Modelling Program Monograph Series © NDARC 2011. This work is copyright. You may download, display, print and reproduce this material in unaltered form only (retaining this notice) for your personal, non-commercial use or use within your organisation. All other rights are reserved. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Information Manager, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia. The Drug Policy Modelling Program Monograph Series is funded by Colonial Foundation Trust. Published by National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre. March 2011 ISBN: 978 0 7334 2991 0 The correct citation for this publication is: Ritter, A., Lancaster, K., Grech, K., & Reuter, P. (2011). Monograph No. 21: An assessment of illicit drug policy in Australia (1985-2010): Themes and trends. DPMP Monograph Series. Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre. AN ASSESSMENT OF ILLICIT DRUG POLICY IN AUSTRALIA (1985 TO 2010): THEMES AND TRENDS THE DRUG MODELLING POLICY PROGRAM This monograph forms part of the Drug Policy Modelling Program (DPMP) Monograph Series. Drugs are a major social problem and are inextricably linked to the major socio-economic issues of our time. Our current drug policies are inadequate and governments are not getting the best returns on their investment. There are a number of reasons why: there is a lack of evidence upon which to base policies; the evidence that does exist is not necessarily analysed and used in policy decision-making; we do not have adequate approaches or models to help policy-makers make good decisions about dealing with drug problems; and drug policy is a highly complicated and politicised arena. The aim of the Drug Policy Modelling Program (DPMP) is to create valuable new drug policy insights, ideas and interventions that will allow Australia to respond with alacrity and success to illicit drug use. DPMP addresses drug policy using a comprehensive approach that includes consideration of law enforcement, prevention, treatment and harm reduction. The dynamic interaction between policy options is an essential component in understanding best investment in drug policy. DPMP conducts rigorous research that provides independent, balanced, non-partisan policy analysis. The areas of work include: developing the evidence-base for policy; developing, implementing and evaluating dynamic policy-relevant models of drug issues; and studying policy- making processes in Australia. Monographs in the series are: 01. What is Australia’s “drug budget”? The policy mix of illicit drug-related government spending in Australia 02. Drug policy interventions: A comprehensive list and a review of classification schemes 03. Estimating the prevalence of problematic heroin use in Melbourne 04. Australian illicit drugs policy: Mapping structures and processes 05. Drug law enforcement: The evidence 06. A systematic review of harm reduction 07. School based drug prevention: A systematic review of the effectiveness on illicit drug use 08. A review of approaches to studying illicit drug markets 09. Heroin markets in Australia: Current understandings and future possibilities 10. Data sources on illicit drug use and harm in Australia 11. SimDrug: Exploring the complexity of heroin use in Melbourne 12. Popular culture and the prevention of illicit drug use: A pilot study of popular music and the acceptability of drugs i AN ASSESSMENT OF ILLICIT DRUG POLICY IN AUSTRALIA (1985 TO 2010): THEMES AND TRENDS 13. Scoping the potential uses of systems thinking in developing policy on illicit drugs 14. Working estimates of the social costs per gram and per user for cannabis, cocaine, opiates and amphetamines 15. Priority areas in illicit drug policy: Perspectives of policy makers 16. A summary of diversion programs for drug and drug-related offenders in Australia 17. A review of Australian public opinion surveys on illicit drugs 18. The coordination of Australian illicit drug policy: A governance perspective 19. Media reporting on illicit drugs in Australia: Trends and impacts on youth attitudes to illicit drug use 20. Cannabis use disorder treatment and associated health care costs in New South Wales, 2007 21. An assessment of illicit drug policy in Australia (1985 to 2010): Themes and trends DPMP strives to generate new policies, new ways of making policy and new policy activity and evaluation. Ultimately our program of work aims to generate effective new illicit drug policy in Australia. I hope this Monograph contributes to Australian drug policy and that you find it informative and useful. Alison Ritter Director, DPMP ii AN ASSESSMENT OF ILLICIT DRUG POLICY IN AUSTRALIA (1985 TO 2010): THEMES AND TRENDS TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1 1. The Australian context ....................................................................................................... 3 2. The Australian approach to drug policy: National Drug Strategies .............................. 7 Harm minimisation .................................................................................................................................. 7 A comprehensive approach .................................................................................................................... 8 Partnerships ............................................................................................................................................... 9 A balanced approach ................................................................................................................................ 9 Evidence based policy and commitment to evaluation .................................................................... 10 3. Analysis of trends in drug use and harms ..................................................................... 12 3.1 Australian trends in drug use .............................................................................................................. 12 3.2 Australian trends in drug harms ......................................................................................................... 15 3.3 Comparisons across and between drugs ........................................................................................... 17 Polydrug use ............................................................................................................................................ 17 Comparisons between drugs ................................................................................................................. 18 3.4 Comparison with global trends .......................................................................................................... 21 Recent use ................................................................................................................................................ 21 Fatal opioid overdose ............................................................................................................................. 23 Treatment ................................................................................................................................................ 23 Law enforcement (number of arrests) ................................................................................................. 25 Injecting drug use and HIV among people who inject drugs .......................................................... 25 4. Government action on drugs .......................................................................................... 27 Prevention ................................................................................................................................................ 28 Treatment ................................................................................................................................................ 29 Harm Reduction ..................................................................................................................................... 30 Law Enforcement ................................................................................................................................... 31 5. Analysing the Australian drug policy landscape .......................................................... 33 Research community – the pursuit of evidence-informed policy .................................................... 33 The State .................................................................................................................................................. 38 The third sector ....................................................................................................................................... 40 International regulatory bodies ............................................................................................................. 42 The general public .................................................................................................................................. 43 Conclusion ...........................................................................................................................
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