Drug possession arrests double in past six years across NSW

Harm reduction expert says increase in arrests for minor drug offences is extraordinary
The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
Friday, November 28, 2014

The number of people arrested for possessing drugs in New South Wales (Australia) has doubled over the past six years, with NSW leading a national trend towards increased law enforcement directed at individual drug users. Yet the spike in arrests appears to have done nothing to stem the tide of drug use, with the state this week hitting the 1 million mark for the number of people who have recently used illicit drugs. The data comes as the NSW Bar Association released a report finding drug prohibition has been a failure and calling for reform. (Fact sheet: Cannabis and the law)