Professor Alison Ritter, Director of the Drug Policy Modelling Program at UNSW Sydney presented at the 2019 NDARC Seminar Series on Thursday, 8 August 2019.

Pill-testing is not a new intervention and has been available across Europe for many years. This seminar reflects on the policy debate that has occurred in NSW, Australia.

Professor Alison Ritter argues that the stalemate may be overcome with a more ‘civilised’ mode of debate that situates knowledge, engages values, is conducted with humility and encourages hesitation (following Stengers). Whether the processes underway will result in a policy shift on this issue in NSW is yet to be seen, but it is plausible that it becomes less and less likely as the heat increases (and the light diminishes).

Professor Alison Ritter is an internationally recognised drug policy scholar and the Director of the Drug Policy Modelling Program (DPMP) at UNSW Sydney. She is an NHMRC Senior Research Fellow leading a multi-disciplinary program of research on drug policy. The goal of the work is to advance drug policy through improving the evidence-base, translating research and studying policy processes.

Professor Ritter worked as a clinical psychologist in the alcohol and drug treatment sector prior to commencing full-time research. She has contributed significant policy and practice developments across alcohol and drug policy over many years. She is the immediate past President of the International Society for the Study of Drug Policy, and a Senior Editor for the International Journal of Drug Policy. Professor Ritter has an extensive research grant track record and has published widely in the field.

2019 NDARC Seminar Series
Day and time: Every Thursday at 3.00pm
Location: Lecture Room 122, Building R1, 22 - 32 King St Randwick, NSW 2031
Cost: Free
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For more information or booking enquiries please contact NDARC.Events@unsw.edu.au.