Illicit Drugs: Harm minimisation

Introduction Where the criminal justice system is concerned, the most significant impact of illicit drug use has been its association with other forms of crime and health (Ross & Polk, 2003, p. 133). Currently, Australian drug policy operates within a prohibition model, but in practice has developed, together with the criminal justice system and the government, a range of realistic harm minimisation strategies to deal with the issues surrounding drug dependence and crime (Makkai, 2000). This paper …

…been examined and the strengths and weaknesses of the three principles of supply reduction, demand reduction and harm reduction have been illustrated to show that only an equal balance between the three will provide an adequate measure for tackling the problem. The criminal justice system alone cannot tackle this problem; it is the cooperation of the health sector as well as the criminal justice system that will reduce the problem of illicit drugs in Australia.