The great illicit drug debate: How Australia changed course

Heroin, cocaine, cannabis and opiates — it’s hard to imagine now, but in 19th-century Australia there were few restrictions on the use of these substances. As social attitudes shifted, so did the law, ushering in an era of prohibition. Yet over the past four decades, Australia has undergone another significant change — rethinking how it responds to illegal drug use and moving towards a harm-minimisation approach. Guest: Des Manderson, Director of the Centre for Law, Arts and Humanities, Australian National University. High Time: How Australia Changed Its Mind About Illegal Drug Use Producer: Ali Benton