Cassy O'Connor MP | Greens' Leader
The Greens' drug policy position is focused on harm minimisation and dealing with addiction through a health lens. It is an acknowledgement that the war on drugs is killing people.
Too many young Australians are dying as a result of the failed policies of the old parties.
Criminalising users and telling young people to 'just say no' is naive. It's not working and it's dangerous.
Health Minister, Michael Ferguson, has left his backbencher, Mark Shelton, to comment on the Greens' evidence-based drugs' policy. Clearly, the Liberals are motivated by cheap politics, not the evidence of a failed prohibition approach.
Minister Ferguson, Mark Shelton and their Liberal colleagues need to admit that the 'war on drugs' has been a complete failure.
Of course, I support Dr Di Natale's position. Unlike Mr Shelton and Minister Ferguson, he has worked on the health front line and seen the tragic human consequences of the hard line approach to drug use.
It's our responsibility as law and policy makers to do everything to keep people safe, the only way to do that is to giving them the tools to make informed choices. Locking them up achieves nothing.
The Tasmanian Greens congratulate Australian Greens Leader, Senator Richard Di Natale, on starting the mature conversation in the community about dealing with drug addiction.