drugs

• VIC medicinal cannabis driving law amendment overdue but welcome

  1st Nov 2024

  The Victorian Government’s decision to amend the law to stop the automatic cancellation of a driver’s license if medicinal cannabis is found in their system is long overdue and welcome, say lawyers.

• Impact of the regulatory framework for cannabis in New South Wales

  6th Jun 2024

• Lawyers Alliance calls on VIC Government to support drug checking services

  8th Jan 2024

  Following the news that several people are critically ill after drug use at the Hardmission Festival on the weekend, lawyers are urging the Victorian Government to introduce drug checking services to help keep people safe.

• Victorian cannabis legalisation is welcome next step

  22nd Nov 2023

  Legalising the adult recreational use of cannabis in Victoria is the logical next step in drug policy reform and is supported by evidence globally.

• Legalising Cannabis Bill 2023

  16th Nov 2023

• Proposed NSW drug diversion program is a small step in the right direction but it is not enough

  10th Oct 2023

  Legislation to introduce a pre-court diversion scheme for people caught in possession of small amounts of illicit substances is a small step in the right direction, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Greens federal cannabis bill will prevent court & police time being wasted on minor drug offences

  10th Aug 2023

  Legalising the adult recreational use of cannabis in Australia makes sense, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) supporting The Greens Legalising Cannabis Bill 2023 which was introduced in Federal Parliament today.

• Decriminalising Personal Drug Use Bill 2023 (Tas)

  9th May 2023

• Improving Access to Medicinal Cannabis Bill 2023

  4th May 2023

• Australian laws must catch up with increasing medicinal cannabis use

  22nd Feb 2023

  Australian laws have not kept pace with the increasing use of legal medicinal cannabis in Australia and law reform is urgently needed.

• Tasmanian Greens bid to decriminalise personal drug use will reduce harm caused by drug dependence

  2nd Feb 2023

  Proposed legislation launched today by the Tasmanian Greens to decriminalise personal drug use is an important step towards reducing the harm caused by drugs in our community, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Biden pardon rightly differentiates cannabis from other illicit drugs

  7th Oct 2022

  United States President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon all prior federal offences of marijuana possession makes an important distinction between cannabis use and the use of other illicit drugs, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Organisations call for decriminalisation of cannabis in Victoria

  28th Sep 2022

  Victoria’s drug laws must be brought into line with community expectations and the increasing evidence that shows a heath-based response to drug use is the best approach, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Overdue NSW Government response to ice inquiry is disappointing

  21st Sep 2022

  With its refusal to decriminalise the personal use of drugs, the NSW Government has missed an important opportunity today to reduce drug use and save lives.

• Tasmanian drug laws must change to reflect community expectations

  18th Jul 2022

  Tasmania’s drug laws must be brought into line with community expectations and the increasing evidence that shows a health-based response to drug use is the best approach, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Drug law reform in NSW will save lives: Proposed drug diversion program small step in the right direction

  2nd Jun 2022

  Reforming drug laws in NSW will save lives says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) in response to the Attorney-General’s proposal to trial a pre-court drug diversion program.

• New NSW police powers are dangerously broad

  17th May 2022

  Extraordinary new powers given to NSW police which allow them to search an individual and their home without a warrant are too broad and lack appropriate oversight, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Australian Government must lobby Singapore to stop plans to execute mentally impaired man

  9th Nov 2021

  Lawyers are urging the Australian Government to call on Singapore to stop the planned execution of an intellectually disabled man convicted for drug offences.

• Proposed drug driving law unfair and not supported by science

  8th Sep 2021

  Proposed new drug driving laws in SA are not fair to drivers who can lose their license for taking prescribed cannabis with no evidence of impaired driving, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• ALA calls on Government to take evidence-based approach to drug policy

  6th Sep 2021

  The Cannabis Decriminalisation Bill 2021 proposed last week should be tabled and voted to committee so that an evidence-based approach can be used to inform drug policy in Tasmania, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• ALA proposes legislation to decriminalise cannabis use in Tasmania

  2nd Sep 2021

  International and interstate examples of success, growing public support and the clear failure of current laws to stop drug use means the time is right for drug law reform in Tasmania, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Lawyers say time is now for drug law reform

  4th Mar 2021

  International examples of success, growing public support and the clear failure of current laws to stop drug use means the time is right now for drug law reform, said the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) today launching a new policy report into Australian drug laws.  

• Medicinal cannabis driving bill removes injustice

  3rd Feb 2021

  Current drug driving laws are not fair to drivers who can lose their license for taking prescribed cannabis when there is no evidence of impaired driving, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) in response to the Road Traffic (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment
  Bill 2021 being introduced into parliament in South Australia today. 

• Lawyers urge decriminalisation of cannabis use in Victoria

  15th Oct 2020

  Cannabis use in Victoria should be decriminalised and regulated to minimise harm to users, says the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Disadvantaged & vulnerable Tasmanians need support - not prosecution – in health crisis

  2nd Apr 2020

  A moratorium on drug offences and help for the homeless are needed to keep all Tasmanians safe during this public health emergency, according to the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Specialist drug court legislation welcomed

  18th Mar 2020

  Legislation introduced in the Victorian parliament today to expand the Drug Court, which has been running from Dandenong and Melbourne magistrates courts, to Shepparton, Ballarat and the County Court has been welcomed by the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA).

• Cannabis bans are ignored — so ditch the law and save money

  14th Nov 2019

  Greg Barns welcomes the ACT government decriminalising cannabis possession, and calls for cannabis law reform across Australia.

• Deputy State Coroner recommendations re personal drug use will save lives

  8th Nov 2019

  The number of people harmed or killed by drug use will be reduced if the Deputy State Coroner’s recommendations regarding personal drug use are implemented, and governments around Australia, not just NSW, must revamp drug laws to save lives says the Australian Lawyers Alliance.

• Pill testing: lawyers commend Hobart Council and call on state government to reconsider its position

  23rd Jul 2019

  The Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) today commended Hobart City Council’s decision to endorse pill testing at festivals.

• Drug driving laws are unfair and not supported by science, say lawyers

  24th May 2019

  Current drug driving testing laws are not supported by science and are not fair to drivers who can lose their license with no evidence of impaired driving.

• Lawyers call on TAS Government to support pill-testing: current policies are failing

  6th Feb 2019

  Politicians need to take advice from health professionals, not police, on the question of pill testing, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today following reservations expressed by Health Minister Michael Ferguson.

• Lawyers call on NSW Government to support pill-testing: current policies are failing

  23rd Jan 2019

  Criminal and law enforcement responses to the use of illicit drugs at music festivals are failing, the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) said today in a letter sent to the NSW Premier calling for the implementation of pill testing trials.

• Lawyers support TAS Greens’ pill testing Bill

  22nd Nov 2018

  The ALA has given its support to the Tasmanian Greens’ Misuse of Drugs Amendment (Drug Analysis) Bill 2018 being tabled today.

• Why your non-dental cavities may be of interest to the authorities

  27th Sep 2018

  In the event that new legislation permitting searches for internally concealed drugs is passed in NSW, criminal lawyers and their clients will have to adjust to a changing legal landscape very quickly.