ACT Liberals Vow to Recriminalise Meth Possession if Elected

The rise in methamphetamine use in the ACT is "extraordinary", according to the Canberra Liberals, and the party has promised to recriminalise both possession and use if elected to government.

But drug harm reduction advocates warn this commitment ignores evidence and further stigmatises drug users.

The ACT Legislative Assembly passed laws which decriminalised the possession of small amounts of illicit drugs, including methamphetamine, in October 2023.

It was a move Opposition Leader Mark Parton says is out of step with the rest of the country — pointing to national wastewater drug monitoring data which suggests methamphetamine use is at a record high.

The Liberals' policy — promised alongside stronger pathways into treatment and rehabilitation if elected to government — was part of Mr Parton's budget reply last week.

"The rise in meth use in the ACT is extraordinary, that it continues to escalate here dramatically," Mr Parton said.

"You would know, just walking around, that this drug has been decriminalised in the ACT and it's having a genuine effect on what's going on out in the community.

"We don't believe it's fair to unleash the sort of behaviour that comes out of meth use in the way that it's being unleashed at the moment."

But has the ACT really seen a "dramatic" escalation in the use of meth since decriminalisation, and what do experts in the space have to say?

ACT meth use in line with national trends

The latest wastewater data shows the ACT recorded a 30 per cent increase in estimated cocaine consumption between 2023-24 and 2024-25 — above the national average rate of 23 per cent.

That follows a 27 per cent increase in the 12 months prior.

But the highest increases recorded in the report were in Tasmania at 38 per cent and the Northern Territory at 36 per cent — both following large increases in the year before.

And estimated use in NSW rose by 28 per cent.

Last month, ACT Chief Police Officer Scott Lee argued drug decriminalisation and rising drug use are not linked, because local increases are in line with national trends.

The ACT's decriminalisation laws were independently reviewed after two years of operation.

The evaluation found "positive results overall" with no prison sentences for simple drug offences alone since the changes, while the drug most commonly associated with consumer drug offences was cocaine — accounting for 43 per cent.

The review also found no evidence of impacts on drug-related ambulance attendances, drug markets in the ACT, drug tourism, or impacts on alcohol and other drug treatment services.

"It means that it's not about decriminalisation in the ACT," Chris Gough, the executive director of the Canberra Alliance for Harm Minimisation and Advocacy (CAHMA), says.

"But it also means we need to take this really seriously.

"We've known for decades now that drug and alcohol treatment has been under-resourced in the ACT, but also across Australia.

Expanding drug harm reduction interventions

Mr Gough says the case for recriminalising certain drugs is the kind of argument that ignores extensive research, and causes more harm than good.

"It does really negatively impact people who use methamphetamines to hear that a party wants to turn them into criminals again," Mr Gough said.

"It has that really profound impact on the way people view themselves."

He suggested the introduction of "low threshold harm reduction services" as the ideal way to prevent methamphetamine abuse.

A cost-benefit analysis of harm reduction measures by the Australian National University and Burnet Institute last year, commissioned by the ACT Health Directorate, found most of the interventions available in the ACT would be cost effective to expand.

The review found take-home naloxone, opioid agonist treatment, needle and syringe programs, and drug testing services, deliver a return of $10.80 for every dollar spent.

"Those low threshold harm reduction services are the services that we need to engage with marginalised people who are using methamphetamine to bring them in so we can start getting them in front of a doctor and getting them treated," Mr Gough said.

"I don't think there's been a [government] failure, but I do think that we need to look at the evidence which suggests you spend more money on harm reduction, you pick up greater savings and you support the most marginalised people in the community."

'Organised crime networks profiting from addiction': Police association

The Australian Federal Police Association (AFPA) begs to differ.

In a statement, the AFPA said it believed the proposal to recriminalise methamphetamine represented a "necessary step towards addressing the significant harm the drug continues to cause within Australian communities".

AFPA President Alex Caruana said while treatment and health-based interventions remained an important part of any drug policy, the government should still be conscious of the broader community harm caused by methamphetamine use.

"Police officers see the reality of methamphetamine every day," Mr Caruana said.

"They see the violence, the exploitation, the organised crime networks profiting from addiction, and the enormous impact this drug has on community safety.

The AFPA also said any move to recriminalise methamphetamine possession must be accompanied by accessible and adequately funded rehabilitation pathways.

"People who want to overcome addiction should be able to access treatment and rehabilitation services quickly and effectively," Mr Caruana said.

"Criminal sanctions provide an important mechanism to disrupt drug use, encourage engagement with support services and reinforce community standards, while rehabilitation pathways provide individuals with an opportunity to break the cycle of addiction and rebuild their lives."