Queensland relaxes drug laws

Queensland is proposing changes to drug laws which will give people in possession of illicit drugs three chances before they face criminal charges.

This change in legislation hopes to divert resources into areas that will be most helpful in addressing drug problems, such as healthcare and re-education.

Dr Maria Boulton and Professor Andreas Schloenhardt talk about what these new laws mean for drug users and Queensland’s police force and medical services.

Image: Image: Shutterstock – DedMityay

Produced By: Josie Lu

Featured In Story: Dr Maria Boulton – President of the Australian Medical Association Queensland, and Andreas Schloenhardt – Professor of Criminal Law at the University of Queensland

First aired on The Wire, Wednesday 22 February 2023