DRUG REHABILITATION BENCHMARKS NEEDED
A KEY ILLICIT DRUG POLICY OBJECTIVE MUST BE TO REDUCE THE POOL OF USERS OF ILLICIT DRUGS IN AUSTRALIA.
All Australian governments have international obligations to reduce the demand for illicit drugs in their community.
One of the best ways of reducing illicit drug use is to provide detoxification and rehabilitation programs that are effective in getting illicit drug users off drugs.
Detoxification and rehabilitation programs funded by taxes need to be benchmarked to ensure they get illicit drug users off drugs completely and permanently.
The benchmark should be set at 90 per cent of former illicit drug users being drug free five years after they complete rehabilitation.
The detoxification and rehabilitation providers should be audited by the Australian Auditor Generals Office to ensure the benchmark is met and to ensure taxpayers funds are effectively used to reduce the number of illicit drug users.
Results of the benchmark audits should be reported to both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The benchmark should be set by international best practice from countries that have successfully reduced illicit drug use such as Sweden.
Illicit drug detoxification and rehabilitation programs should be supported by diversion programs by court order as proposed by the International Narcotics Control Board of the United Nations.
All illicit drug users diverted into detoxification and rehabilitation by courts should be counted in determining the benchmark rate.
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.
46/2004