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approach in the lead-up to UN- While the scope of the Victorian
GASS was unknown and the role parliamentary inquiry doesn’t
the government played couldn’t quite compare to the UNGASS
have been more low-key and meeting, we can’t allow what
woeful. The Australian Govern- took place there to happen here, 6
ment did not invite a drug user we can’t let this opportunity pass
to be a member of the delegation, us by. We can do better! We
even though drug users were can bring about change. This is
delegates and given equal weight our chance to be heard by the
by other countries and their gov- Victorian politicians we vote
ernments. in, to hold them accountable
for the decisions they make, or
UNGASS 2016 was over don’t make; to have them listen
before it began. to us, our families and friends, to
hear the growing public support
The entire process was a sham, for more humane and respect-
full of hot air that infuriated and ful treatment of people who 6 . A SS E SS IN G
insulted the many countries, use drugs and to drive systemic
world leaders and NGOs calling change. We are not asking for PR AC TI CE S O F OTHE R
for drug law reform and a re- anything radical, in fact most of AUS TR ALIAN S TATE S
evaluation of the UN mandated what HRVic wants has already
war on drug users. been done elsewhere, either AND TE RRITO RIE S
interstate or overseas. AND OVE R S E A S
So why do we care about what J U RI S DI C TI O N S AND
happened at the UN? It’s because For a country which used to lead
our own mini-UNGASS on the way in harm reduction, Aus- THE IR
drugs is about to happen here in tralia is going nowhere fast, and APPROACH TO D RUG
Victoria. Despite the differences drug related harms continue to
of scale, it is a cautionary tale and increase. Let’s push for Victoria L AW
we’d be mad not to learn from to lead the way when it comes to RE FO RM AND
it. We were almost blinded by drug related policies and services
our optimism and we were slow and drug law reform. H OW OTHE R
to respond to the early warning P OS ITIV E
signs that UNGASS had gone *Editor’s Note: Did you know in the
off the rails e.g. the premature USA if you get busted for crack- RE FO RM S COU LD B E
adoption of the outcome docu- cocaine, your sentence will be far ADO P TE D TO
ment at the start of the multi-day greater than if you get busted for
meeting. UNGASS should alert using the purer cocaine. Why? VI C TO RIAN L AW.
us to how wrong these processes Well call me crazy but it seems to
can go and the importance of the be linked with the large number of
involvement of the affected com- African-Americans and Latinos
munities (ie drug users) to keep using crack, the ‘poorer’ substitute
things on track and bring about drug, compared to white profes-
meaningful health and human
rights changes. Let’s make sure
the Victorian parliament really
listens and consults with the
people who know most and are UNGASS
most affected by drug use, i.e. the
drug users.
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