Evidence hub for the NSW Drug Summit 2024
The NSW Government will be holding the NSW Drug Summit in November and December 2024 to build consensus on the way NSW deals with drug related harms.
The Drug Policy Modelling Program evidence hub for the NSW Drug Summit 2024 provides short, evidence-based summaries on the important and topical drug policy issues facing NSW. The information provided is based on our own research and current scientific evidence.
Drug laws and regulations: six broad approaches
There are many ways to configure drug laws and regulations. In this evidence brief, we provide a summary of six different approaches to drug laws and regulations.
Removing or reducing criminal penalties for drug use – what is the evidence?
Removing or reducing the criminal penalties for drug use has been a feature of Australian drug policy since 1999. This evidence brief provides a summary of the current evidence, and answers common questions, such as what effect these policies have on drug use.
What are the non-criminal responses for drug use and personal possession across Australia?
Each state and territory offers a non-criminal response (such as a fine or treatment and education program) as an alternative to criminal penalties for using or possessing illicit drugs. This bulletin provides an up-to-date overview of these schemes, including their design, eligibility criteria, and policy type.
How is the Early Drug Diversion Initiative going?
Here we summarise the data currently available (via the Minister for Police in Parliament) on the Early Drug Diversion Initiative, and diversion rates based on Indigenous status, drug type, and Police Area Commands.
Public opinion on what action should be taken against people found in possession of illicit drugs?
Public opinion on how to respond to drug use is an important factor in policy debate. In this brief, we summarise Australian and NSW data from the National Drug Strategy Household Survey covering what responses to drug possession and use are preferred by the public.
Drug checking services: an evidence brief
Drug checking services are where people who use drugs provide a small sample of a substance to find out its content and dosage and receive a tailored health intervention. This summary provides answers to common questions about drug checking.
Evidence brief for harm reduction initiatives
In this Evidence brief we summarize the evidence supporting key harm reduction interventions.
What are some lessons from alcohol and tobacco for cannabis legalisation?
Here we provide a recent review of the evidence on alcohol and tobacco control, what has proven successful, and what elements could be transferable to cannabis policy.
Was decriminalisation effective in North America?
Oregon and Vancouver are often brought up in discussions of decriminalisation. This summary is a simple explainer of what has happened and the current evidence available.
How much does the NSW Government spend on law enforcement responses to illicit drugs?
This research note summarises estimates of how much the NSW Government spends on policing, courts, prisons and other law enforcement responses to illicit drugs.
Achieving harm reduction in prisons?
This document provides a summary of the evidence-based interventions to reduce the harms associated with injecting drugs in prisons. It was developed by the Harm Reduction in Prisons Working group and represents sound advice for improving services to people in custody.
How many people miss out on alcohol and other drug treatment in NSW?
Knowing how many people need and miss out on treatment is important for planning for services. This research explores how many people are in need of treatment, how many people access treatment, and how many people miss out on AOD treatment in NSW.
Is there support for non-criminal responses to drug use and harm reduction measures in Greater Western Sydney?
This research note summarises data from the National Drug Strategy Household Survey (2022-23) (NDSHS) about public support for non-criminal responses to drug use, drug checking and supervised consumption facilities in Greater Western Sydney (with comparison to Sydney, NSW, and Australia).
Was decriminalisation effective in Portugal?
Portugal decriminalised the possession of illicit drugs for personal use in 2001. It is often referenced during debates as to what countries can or should be doing to respond to people who use drugs. This summary explains the Portuguese case and outcomes of the reform.
Is there a place for short-acting injectable opioid treatment?
The Chief and Associate Investigators from the Feasibility of Opioid Injectable Treatment (FOpIT) trial provide their summary of FOpIT and present key messages for those interested in progressing short-acting injectable opioid treatment for people who inject drugs in NSW.
What is involuntary alcohol and other drug treatment, and is it effective?
In NSW, the Involuntary Drug and Alcohol Treatment (IDAT) program provides treatment to people with severe substance dependence who are at risk of significant harm, when voluntary treatment has not been effective or has been refused. This document provides a recent synthesis of the evidence for this type of treatment.
How do Commonwealth drug laws relate to state/territory drug laws?
In our federated nation, it is hard to know how the federal drug laws relate to the state and territory drug laws. This document provides a simple explainer.
Is the removal of criminal penalties for drug use consistent with the International Drug Control Conventions?
Australia is a signatory to the three international drug control conventions. A commonly asked question is whether the removal of criminal penalties for drug use is consistent with the treaties or not. This evidence brief explores that issue.
What reports have been published on drug law reform? An annotated bibliography.
Over the years, DPMP has been updating an annotated bibliography of all reports and other non-academic material on drug law reform. Here you will find brief summaries of key reports and non-academic publications that span police diversion, decriminalisation of use and possession for personal use, as well as regulation-legalisation.
Evidence Brief for changes in heroin deaths in NSW
In this Evidence Brief we present summary statistics on changes in the geographic location of heroin-related deaths across NSW.
The development of this evidence hub was supported by ADA Societal Impact, Equity and Engagement Amplify Funding.