EASY DRUG AVAILABILITY PROMOTES HIGHER USE
The United Nations Office of Drugs & Crime has compared how easy it to get illicit drugs and found that teenagers in Sweden found it harder to access illegal drugs than teenagers from other European countries.
For teenagers wanting cannabis then discos, streets, parks and dealers premises were the most likely access locations.
In 2003 one in four teenagers in Europe obtained cannabis from a disco compared to only 8 per cent in Sweden.
As well, prices were higher for illicit drugs in Sweden which suppressed the demand for drugs.
Because Sweden was not on a known drug route illicit drug supply was suppressed also.
(Source: Sweden’s Successful Drug Policy: A Review of the Evidence, September 2006 available at www.unodc.org)
The Drug Advisory Council of Australia Comments
Easy access to illicit drugs, low prices and convenient supply of illicit drugs does increase illicit drug use.
Australia like Sweden is not on a drug supply route so we have a natural advantage in reducing supply of illicit drugs.
However, because Australia’s demand for illicit drugs is high we negate out natural border protection.
Like many Europeans, Australians find it easy to access illicit drugs so drug demand remains high and costs to the Australian community also remains high.
Sweden’s policy of using its courts to divert illicit drug users into detoxification and rehabilitation programs that get users drug free should be copied by Australia.
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.
7/2007