Di Natale will be calling on the Government to move drug addiction out of the criminal justice system and into the health network.
All types of drug use will be up for discussion, not just Ice.
He is also calling on funding for drug prevention be also diverted into the health system, to help with rehabilitation and detox centres.
 |
| Dr. Di Natale is hoping for "rational" conversations on drug control |
A number of roundtables will be held across Australia in the weeks leading up to the national illicit drugs summit in March, with stops also expected in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and the Gold Coast.
Newcastle was one of the chosen cities because of the "live issue" illicit drugs are in the region.
The roundtable will include representatives from the health and justice departments, academics and people who have experienced drug use first hand.
Despite the call to decriminalise the use of drugs, Di Natale is still calling on the drugs themselves to be illegal.
"Drugs should continue to be illegal, particularly drugs like is. We should continue to prosecute drug dealers, but when we're talking about the individuals who use drugs, it's much better to offer them treatment."
However, Drug Free Australia Executive Director, Jo Baxter has lamented the decision by the Greens, saying the criminal system should receive increased funding for drug related crimes.
"We could put more resources into drug courts, which is a system where by they [drug addicts] aren't treated as criminals, they are diverted into rehabs."
"Anything that would take the deterrent away, that's not a good system."
Di Natale has used Portugal as an example of how decriminalising drug use has done good things.
"In Portugal, where criminal penalties for individual drug users were removed, and all that money spent on treatment; we didn't see any increase in drug use."
"What we saw was more people come forward for treatment and a much, much more efficient use of resources."
Ms. Baxter however has argued the decriminalisation will send the wrong message to kids.
"They need to think about the compassion of the kids that are coming up and haven't tried drugs yet."
"Don't send the wrong message, don't let it become normal."
The national summit will be held in Canberra on March 2, and is expect to play host to members of the Federal Cabinet.
There, Di Natale hopes to have rational discussions about drug control.
"We're just trying to change the national conversation" he said.
Image courtesy of Business Insider Australia (LINK).
