Drug policy’s past,present and future: Where should Australia head now?

Abstract

In recent years there have been significant changes in global drug policy. This article considers these developments. I provide a brief introduction to the history of global drug policy, followed by an overview of the current state of play, both in Australia and abroad. Inspired by a recent injunction by New South Wales Deputy Coroner Harriet Grahame to think differently about drug problems, I then consider whether we are asking the right questions in current debates about the future direction of drug policy, and whether our policy priorities need to change.