Sydney has a cocaine problem. Is decriminalisation the solution?
Despite the cost and crackdowns, cocaine use is still on the rise
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)
Sunday, August 27, 2023
Sunday, August 27, 2023
Delays in introducing reform is fuelling drug consumption and crime in NSW, experts have warned, calling for the government to implement decriminalisation for small quantities of illicit substances. Australia is now the highest per capita user of cocaine worldwide, consuming an estimated 5.6 tonnes a year, with Sydney leading the country in use. Australia is also one of the most expensive places to buy cocaine, costing anywhere from $250 to $400 a gram. The only places where it costs more are in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, where supplying drugs attracts the death penalty. Sydney’s love affair with the costly powder has led to carnage, with eight cocaine-related shootings since March alone.
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