• US: Oregon decriminalizes possession of street drugs, becoming first in nation

    Oregon made history Tuesday in the movement to reconsider the nation’s war on drugs by becoming the first state to decriminalize small amounts of heroin and other street drugs. Voters overwhelmingly supported Measure 110, a coup for the New York-based Drug Policy Alliance, the same criminal justice reform group that backed Oregon’s successful marijuana legalization effort in 20 […]

  • Election 2020: Jacinda Ardern says new Government will look at allowing pill testing of illicit drugs at festivals

    Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says her new Government is keen to allow more legal pill testing at music festivals. Her comments come after Justice Minister Andrew Little ruled out further liberalisation of drug laws following the preliminary “no” vote on the cannabis referendum. […]

  • Is it time for a drug policy intervention?

    Currently, Australia criminalises people for having a health problem, addiction, but the country needs an alternative to this if there is to be any expectation that it can slow or reverse these trends. The need for change is upon Australians, and the three-pillar approach must become more responsive. Ultimately, the harm reduction leg of this wobbly policy-making stool must include…

  • Helen Clark appointed chair of the Global Commission on Drug Policy

    Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark has been appointed the chair of the 26-member Global Commission on Drug Policy. Clark succeeds the former President of the Swiss Confederation, Ruth Dreifuss, who has served as chair since 2016. Since its establishment in 2011, the Global Commission has advocated for evidence-informed drug policy. […]

  • HRA Budget Submission Media Release – 2 Sept 2020

    Media-Release-HRA-Budget-Submission-2020Download […]

  • Canberra pill testing site moves closer as ACT govt agrees to investigation

    Canberra could have an Australian-first pill-testing site in Civic this summer. The government agreed to explore the idea in the ACT Legislative Assembly on Thursday. The pill testing pilot in the city entertainment area would operate on weekends and be informed by expert health advice […]

  • There is a better approach to recreational drugs

    Drug use is not a fringe activity and the current prohibition strategy is not a deterrent. Much like during the United States’ Prohibition Era from 1920 to 1933, an enormous black market responds to the high volume of demand. The current system places the police and courts in an endless and costly war against a profiting organised crime world and…

  • Pollies push pill testing for Victorian music festivals

    Pill testing could be introduced at Victorian music festivals under a join proposal by The Greens and the Reason Party. If passed by Victorian Parliament, the joint bill would see the establishment of a mobile pill testing service as well as a fixed-address laboratory likely located in Melbourne. The pill testing model, which has been in use in Europe since…

  • Growing support for pill testing at Aussie music festivals

    A new study found that almost three in five Aussies now support pill testing at festivals. The 2019 National Drug Strategy Household Survey was published last week (July 16) by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2020 and found 57% support it and 27% oppose it. This approval is reflected in the study’s other findings including a call for…

  • Pill testing, safe injecting room support jumps in ACT as drug use goes up: AIHW

    “Most dealers become dealers to support their drug habits … so if you can make access to drugs more available instead of imprisoning them, you could avoid making the situation worse. COVID points it out: if you have a problem, any way that is going to minimise harm is the best outcome. […]