Portugal’s Experience of Drug Decriminalisation
Around one percent of the population in Portugal was addicted to heroin in 1999. The nation also reportedly had the highest number of drug-related AIDS deaths in the European Union. The government had been waging the usual war on drugs since...
The Real Cost of our Love Affair with Alcohol
Almost half of all homicides in Australia are alcohol-related, and more than a quarter of Australians report being affected by alcohol-fuelled violence. These statistics and a wealth of research leaves little doubt that our love affair with alcohol is a...
“Good People Don’t Smoke Marijuana”: New US Chief Lawyer an Obstacle to Reform
US President Donald Trump has named Jeff Sessions as the US Attorney General, the chief lawyer and prosecutor for the federal government. There are concerns Mr Session’s appointment will mean the end of proposals designed to reduce the US prison...
Buddhist Monk Charged with Commercial Drug Supply
Last Sunday night, senior Buddhist monk U Arsara was driving in his Toyota Kluger from Shwe Baho village in southern Maungdaw district, in the northwestern state of Rakhine, Myanmar. At around 6 pm, he was stopped by police at the...
Six Charged Over $300 Million Cocaine Haul
Police say they have busted a massive cocaine network operating on the NSW South Coast, making one of the largest seizures of cocaine in the state’s history. Six men were arrested and further arrests are expected to be made today,...
NSW Parliament Will Debate Voluntary Euthanasia
A law which would legalise voluntary assisted dying will come before NSW Parliament this year, potentially empowering terminally ill adults to choose when to end their lives. A cross-party working group is finalising draft legislation as early as next month....
Legalising Psychedelic Drugs: An Interview with LSD Advocate Greg Kasarik
Greg Kasarik appeared in Melbourne’s Magistrates Court on January 10 this year, on a charge of being in possession of a drug of dependency. Kasarik was arrested on April 19 last year, when he was found in possession of LSD, while he was...
Raids on Medical Marijuana Producers: Making Way for Big Business?
Over the last seven weeks, police have made two high-profile raids of medicinal cannabis producers in Australia. The Ubuntu Wellness Clinic was raided in Newcastle on December 1. NSW police seized 215 plants from a hydroponic operation run by a group called...
January is ‘Divorce Month’ for Family Lawyers
The end of the year is meant to be a time to relax and unwind with family and friends. But for many, the financial pressures and unrealistic expectations of Christmas and New Year’s can take a heavy emotional toll. Add...
From Prisoner to Principal Lawyer: An Interview with Debbie Kilroy
Queensland attorney-general Yvette D’Ath announced the members of the reinstated Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council on November 10 last year. The council works to advise the state government and Court of Appeal on sentencing matters. Amongst the ten members of the council...
