First lesson for new inquiry into ice: we've lost the war on drugs

The appointment of prohibitionist Kay Hull to lead an inquiry into ice use is another example of the Abbott government’s ham fisted approach to policy
Alex Wodak
The Guardian (UK)
Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Five Labor and three Conservative governments adopted harm minimisation as Australia’s official national drug policy on 2 April 1985 and every Commonwealth, state and territory government since then has implemented harm minimisation programmes. This approach is now endorsed by all the major UN organisations responsible for drug policy. It wasn’t until 29 April 2014 – 25 years after that conclusion – that an Australian prime minister, Tony Abbott, could finally admit that “[the war on drugs] is … not a war we will ever finally win. The war on drugs is a war you can lose.”