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- In short: The Tasmanian government is developing a new drug strategy and welfare groups are urging it to consider decriminalising low-level drug possession to reduce the impact of addiction on vulnerable people
- What's next? Police Minister Felix Ellis says hard drugs are "illegal for a reason" and the government will not soften its stance. Groups and individuals have until August 4 to make a submission
Dave* had a traumatic childhood in Tasmania.
His mother died, and he spent much of his youth homeless.
At school, cognitive impairment affected his ability to concentrate and learn, so he dropped out.
Alcohol and drugs dulled his anxiety and helped him to fit in but eventually he got arrested.
In the meantime, with support, he was able to find secure housing and a stable job.
But then he was convicted of drug possession and jailed for four months.
When he was released, he could no longer find secure housing due to his criminal record.
His work, and his life, were disrupted and he faced life on the streets again.
Dave's story was one of many provided by Anglicare Tasmania to the state government in a policy paper that urged significant drug reform, including decriminalising low-level drug possession and providing better access to health, mental health and housing options.
There has been a 92 per cent increase in drug seizures in Tasmania over the past decade, but Anglicare says illicit drugs "continue to be cheap and easy to access in Tasmania".
Mary Bennett, who coordinates Anglicare's Social Action Research Centre, said it showed current law and order strategies were not working.
"Criminalisation pushes people to the margins of society, stigmatises people, it cuts them off from supports, like housing and jobs, and it stops them from seeking help," she said.
"We have drug use across the whole community. But it's particularly people experiencing disadvantage who end up with a criminal conviction. And this traps people. It's not an uncommon experience."
Anglicare wants drug trafficking to remain a criminal offence but drug use and possession to attract civil and administrative sanctions.
Past convictions would be removed and fines means-tested based on a person's income.
Calls for safe injecting room
Julie* has used heroin since the age of 14.
She developed an intravenous opioid addiction and is now on a methadone program.
Julie has been an injecting drug user for 30 years and doesn't have many veins left she can use. She recently started to inject in her neck.
Anglicare runs Hobart's needle and syringe program which provides harm-reduction equipment and support if requested, along with anti-overdose drug Naloxone.
When the workers came into contact with Julie, they discovered she had been injecting in the wrong direction and a lump had developed in her neck.
They urged her to get medical attention, but Julie was reluctant as she feared stigma in the healthcare system and was worried she would be removed from the methadone program.
Mary Bennett said Julie's situation was not unheard of in Tasmania's injecting community and showed policies needed to change.
She said the state should work towards establishing safe injecting rooms, like in Melbourne and Sydney.
"We need safe places for people … That goes a long way to reduce harms from drug use," Ms Bennett said.
"The needle and syringe program is really important. It helps prevent a lot of comorbidities we see with drug use, [but] we'd like to see safe injecting rooms and we'd like to see much broader supports to prevent harm."
Anglicare also made this recommendation to the government and has been holding briefings with MPs since releasing its policy paper.
Drug strategy 'behind other states'
Other case studies included a woman who had her first child when aged 14 and had spent her adult life trying to address her own drug use.
Despite accessing services, she struggled to stay away from illicit substances and her three children were taken away from her by Child Services.
She was jailed for theft, drug driving and possession. Her partner could not pay the rent and became homeless.
Mary Bennett said outcomes like these benefited no-one, and she called for greater investment in drug diversion programs, mental health support and decriminalisation.
"At the moment, I would say we are behind other states," she said.
The Tasmanian government is developing an updated drug strategy for 2023 to 2028, focusing on prevention, intervention and treatment.
It shifts the focus to an evidence-based "health response" to drug use and includes more input from people with lived experience of drug and alcohol problems.
Minister says decriminalisation sends wrong message
Three jurisdictions – South Australia, the Northern Territory and ACT – have decriminalised some drugs and Queensland has announced it is softening its drug laws.
Tasmania Police Minister Felix Ellis said the government would not be following suit.
"We're not going to go down the path of decriminalising heroin and ice," he said.
"We know the harmful impact these drugs have in our communities. They're illegal for a reason.
"I think it's the wrong thing and sends the wrong message to our community to say that there's safe levels of usage of these kinds of really dangerous drugs.
"We've got diversionary processes that we have in place in particular circumstances, and we're comfortable with those."
Tasmania Police Deputy Commissioner Jonathan Higgins said diversion programs already existed for those "who actually want to get treatment".
Community consultation on the Tasmanian Drug Strategy closes on August 4.
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