Zero tolerance no solution to drug epidemic
In recent days there has been some discussion around the election campaign about drug policy. Read below an article published in the current edition of The Socialist newspaper on this very issue.
The Socialist Party stands for a harm minimisation strategy for both legal and illegal drug use. We want to increase funding for research, counselling, detox and rehabilitation and other support services for users, families and their partners. We also want to see an education program on safe injecting practices for users and drugs education in the community.
We are in favour of safe injecting facilities and medically managed alternatives such as medically prescribed Heroin and other treatment options including those for amphetamine use.
The Socialist Party fights for increased funding for this. The lack of funding in the community health sector has seen prisons turn into informal hospitals for drug users. We believe that drugs and drug use is a health issue, not a legal issue.
For several years from 1999 the Socialist Party led a campaign in Melbourne for a harm minimisation approach to the heroin crisis. This crisis tragically saw almost 500 people overdose one year in Melbourne. Let’s not see this happen anywhere again.
