What is decriminalisation of drugs?

Depenalisation, decriminalisation and legalisation. There is no universal agreement on these terms, but it is helpful to explore the different ideas that lie behind them if we are to understand better what they mean when they are used in the debate on different approaches to controlling the supply and use of drugs.

Read more:
Models for the legal supply of cannabis: recent developments:

[EnricoPiazza]

Very useful. I didn't know the difference!

[mitchelklug]

The current Public Rehabilitation Centers have a very long wait time plus the amount of beds available is far lower then the amount we need (I’ve just waited 6 months) and there is so few of them compared to the amounts of addicts there are in Australia.

human’s in Drug addiction doesn’t really have the right level of mental health capabilities compared to someone that doesn’t use, nor do most fear imprisonment until there first sentence, an addict is someone that knowingly take harmful/ possible deadly illicit substances to help cope with personal trauma, Trauma that need to first be addressed and managed through a professional Health team or addiction, crime and prison will just continue.

As an current alcoholic/addict that has been in and out of various addiction and sobriety stints of rehab i know a bit about learning life skill to maintain recovery, with the harder substances I agree that 2 grams of ice or heroin is way to much to be considered a small amount and could easily be loop hole to traffic drugs. have a set amount (0.5g in my opinion) to carry on your person for personal consumption. Jailing someone because they have a problem with drug abuse can destroy carriers and clog up the already over populated jails system at the same time as furthering them from a possible earlier recovery date.
if a person doesn’t attend the provided drug & alcohol support/ finish the support program/ or reoffend then harder punishments should be put in place.

Addiction of any kind is a extremely stressful, confusing, lonely and a depressing lifestyle, most people of addiction feel that the drug has taken the will to choice healthier life choices. so I think the decriminalisation needs to be further looked into and is the way we should go!

As sad as it’s true, whilst my first incarceration I said to myself, any bet I’ll be back in here within 2 years, I was right. Well I sure know that I got straight back into addiction both times after leaving prison, no help of D&A support or any kind of strategies for a relapse prevention plan to assist in maintaining sobriety

[skeptickek]

Uh.... you are missing one thing: Legalization for consumption but still criminal to distribute and sell. In Mexico that is the case so long as you own a small amount of drugs, including hard drugs. Where does that fit in?

[Paddyllfixit]

I hate all those who take drugs!



police, customs officers.... ;-)

[TimCrinion]

Why not legalise _buying_ drugs but criminalise _selling_ drugs? If that were the case, no one would dare sell because the buyers might grass them up. The way it is now, buyers are usually addicted but don't dare go to the police because they would effectively be admitting a crime themselves.