It would become harder for police to lay charges for drug possession, as part of proposed reforms stemming from the New South Wales Drug Summit. The Minns government's also been urged to scrap sniffer dogs and strip searches at music festivals and to create a legal defence for drivers caught with medicinal cannabis in their system.
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00:00It was the state's second ever drug summit and hailed as a once-in-a-generation chance
00:07for reform.
00:08Our goal must be reducing the number of Australians whose lives have been destroyed or diminished.
00:14Now its recommendations are in.
00:16One of the most significant is an overhaul of the early diversion program for low-level
00:21possession.
00:22It gives police the choice to fine someone for their first and second offence rather
00:27than sending them to court.
00:29But the summit heard officers took the diversion option just 8% of the time.
00:33Among the report's priority actions is limiting police discretion with an assumption of diversion
00:38for personal use quantities.
00:41People whose only vice is to use an illicit drug are ending up with a criminal conviction
00:45and as a result their future employment and earnings prospects are damaged.
00:50In that case I think you'd have to say that the punishment is doing more harm than good.
00:55The government is urged to shorten the time convictions remain on criminal records and
00:59to legislate a legal defence for drivers using medicinal cannabis who test positive for the
01:04drug.
01:05It is completely unfair that they take a legitimate medicine and cannot drive even when they are
01:11unimpaired.
01:12Despite calls at the summit for decriminalisation, the report takes no stance on the controversial
01:17issue.
01:18The Premier had already ruled out such reform before the summit began, much to the frustration
01:22of many advocates.
01:24The recommendation of a drug checking trial is already underway, but the report urges
01:28the government to scrap sniffer dogs and strip searches during the pilot and consider extending
01:34this to all music festivals.
01:35What we need to see is the government immediately acting to implement these recommendations.
01:42The government is now mulling the findings.