Spice and flakka cause psychotic symptoms, bodily damage and death, whereas cannabis has never caused an overdose and has well-recognized medicinal value. Cocaine sourced from the black market, which is laced with other unknown chemicals, can cause overdose death – but people aren’t stabbing and eating the faces of other people while on cocaine. […]

Without legal mechanisms in place, the only option for arbitration in the black market is violence. This violence takes many forms: turf wars between drug suppliers where civilians are caught in the crossfire; no-knock police raids where suspects are gunned down; drug addicts assaulting others to secure money for their addiction. […]

Those targeted by the killings, according to Phelim Kine, deputy director of Human Rights Watch’s Asia division, are often people who are on the margins of society, poor and easy to target. […]

Organised Crime can only be fought successfully by levelling the playing field; take the money away from them. Regulate the control of illegal drugs and take the power away from criminals. It’s the intelligent thing to do. […]

The NSW Government has no reason to be fearful of a forum to debate and discuss policies that affect so many of its citizens’ lives. It is an opportunity to review the evidence, understand the impact of current laws and policies and develop effective approaches that make communities, families and people healthier and safer. […]

The New Zealand Drug Foundation, which commissioned the survey, said it was the first such poll to show a majority backing the loosening of rules on the personal use of marijuana. […]

NZ and Australia are to conduct the world’s largest trial to find out whether ketamine can cure depression. Previous trials have shown ketamine “produces rapid antidepressant effects within hours”, says research leader UNSW Professor Colleen Loo, but the long-term effects aren’t yet known. […]

Some local news agencies have reported considerably higher death tolls, some as high as nearly 1,000, in counts that included drug suspects killed by unidentified attackers since Duterte emerged as the president-elect following the May 9 elections. […]

The Sydney doctor in charge of Sydney’s lone supervised injecting centre has decried as “hurtful” and “offensive” suggestions by the NSW deputy premier that the centre was trying to “tout” for business among pregnant women. […]

Decriminalisation of personal drug use and possession not only saves public money, it has significant public health benefits, according to a report prepared by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at UNSW. […]