SWEDEN HAS THE BEST ANTI DRUG POLICY
Australia should copy the successful anti drug policy of Sweden.
Only 7 per cent of Swedish children aged 15 to 16 years had ever tried cannabis in 2007 which was one third of the rate in the rest of Europe.
Only 2 per cent of Swedish children aged 15 to 16 years had used cannabis in the previous 30 days which is only a tenth of the rate in other parts of Europe.
Of the 180 nations ranked by the United Nations in order of the severity of their drug problems, Sweden has been ranked at 168.
Sweden reduced demand for drugs by breaking up drug traffic and reducing exposure of people to drugs.
Sweden introduced coercive drug treatment to abstinence as an alternative to prison.
(Source: Sydney Morning Herald, 20 June 2009)
DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL COMMENTS-
Our Council supports this article in the Sydney Morning Herald.
Australia must reduce the demand for drugs by getting our illicit drug users off drugs by court ordered detoxification and rehabilitation for all illicit drug users that are identified in our community.
Our Council recommends early intervention detoxification and rehabilitation to get users off drugs as cost effective.
We also need early intervention drug prevention programs that truthfully disclose to our children the known harms of illicit drugs that successfully worked in Iceland.
Australia must learn from the successful policies of other countries and the Sydney Morning Herald views are a credible new approach.
More detoxification & rehabilitation that gets illicit drug users drug free.
Court ordered and supervised detoxification & rehabilitation.
Less illicit drug users, drug pushers and drug related crimes.
24/2009