Drug law reform

When it comes to the challenge of illicit drug use, politicians are not the experts. We have to set aside our preconceived notions and learn from the doctors, nurses and paramedics who work with drug users every day.

28 July was World Hepatitis Day, a day to recognise people with Hepatitis C and to raise awareness about HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV) co-infection.

It would have been better if the Premier had called it – and called it sooner, but at last NSW is to have another drug summit. 

Two old political foes will unite to kickstart the debate about expanding Sydney's lone medically supervised drug consumption centre to new areas and new ways to help users of the drug ice.

Michael Kirby, Bob Carr, John Brogden and Dr Ingrid van Beek will headline the upcoming Harm Minimisation Summit, being hosted at NSW Parliament by the NSW Cross-Party Harm Minimisation Roundtable. 

Four parliamentarians from across the political spectrum have joined forces in the NSW Parliament to renew the debate about harm minimisation approaches to illicit drug use. 

15 years saving lives. 15 years providing front-line services at the vanguard of medical practice. 15 years transforming the debate about illicit drug use.

This week, I went to Canberra to participate in the National Drug Summit. Here's 9 things I learned:

The drug policies in NSW aren't working, so we need a new summit to look at harm minimisation strategies that could include amnesty bins, pill-testing and the end of the use of sniffer dogs

Let’s make good evidence based public policy and once again make NSW a world leader when it comes to harm minimisation.