By Glenn Dobson, CEO, The Drug Detection Agency Group
Recent policy decisions in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), centred on Canberra, have seen the decriminalisation of possession of small amounts of illicit drugs, including cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA, LSD and heroin for personal use. While some argue this represents compassionate reform, the implications for community safety, workplace wellbeing, and public health are significant. From TDDA’s perspective, where safety and impairment‑free workplaces are paramount, this shift demands scrutiny.
Under the ACT’s approach, individuals found with small quantities of these drugs avoid criminal prosecution, instead potentially receiving a fine or referral to a diversion programme. Although sale and supply remain illegal, reducing the deterrent for possession inevitably lowers barriers to use. Social signals matter when the perception of consequence diminishes, access and experimentation increase.
Early commentary in Canberra indicates concern that what was harder to obtain yesterday may become easier in practical effect (see the Daily Mail article) – https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15255281/Canberra-drugs-decriminalised.htm. For workplaces, the risk pathway is clear: reduced legal deterrence leads to higher rates of casual use, and where drug use rises, so too does impairment risk in safety‑critical environments.
The United States provides a critical case study in drug policy experimentation. Oregon’s Measure 110, which decriminalised small amounts of hard drugs, initially garnered applause. However, it rapidly faced backlash as communities saw the true negative effects of this policy decision with reported visible street drug use, increased overdose data, public disorder and worsening addiction crises. In response, policymakers have begun reversing course, reinstating criminal penalties and re‑emphasising accountability alongside treatment. Meanwhile, even long‑standing cannabis‑legal US States are confronting complex and unintended social effects, prompting legislative reviews and calls for recalibration.
These experiences reinforce an essential truth: without robust health infrastructure, strong supply‑control systems, and clear behavioural expectations, decriminalisation can become an accelerant for harm, not a solution to it.
From a workplace safety perspective, this policy direction introduces genuine risk. Greater ease of access and softer societal messaging around illicit drugs increases the likelihood of impairment entering workplaces. This brings heightened danger, especially in industries reliant on alertness, machinery, transport, decision making and safety‑critical operations. Employers face increased exposure to incidents, reputational harm, and legal liability. Most importantly, the people they are responsible for become more vulnerable.
At TDDA, we frame this through a simple mission: “to protect the girl on the bike” – a metaphor for the everyday person whose safety relies on others around her being unimpaired. Every time we (and the rest of the communities) can help to remove the risks of drugs in workplaces and the wider community, the 9-year-old girl is just that little bit safer as she rides her bike down any suburban street. Decriminalisation without significant investment in treatment, prevention, and workplace safeguards is not aligned with protecting her or any worker simply trying to do their job safely.
While addiction is undeniably a health issue deserving compassion and treatment pathways, it is also a complex issue that is not solved without thorough and well thought out responses. Canberra’s model, as currently implemented, lacks the guardrails necessary to safeguard workplaces and communities. If governments wish to pursue reform, it must be accompanied by infrastructure and accountability, not just softer laws. Reform without responsibility is not progress. TDDA will continue to advocate for frameworks that support rehabilitation while ultimately upholding safety. We must ensure policy decisions do not inadvertently normalise drug use or increase the negative effects in our workplaces and communities.
The lesson from parts of the United States is clear: bold shifts in drug policy can create profound and unintended consequences, especially when systems are not fully prepared. Let Canberra’s path be carefully watched, and let safety (and experience), not ideology, guide us. Because protecting the girl on the bike, and every worker like her, must always come first.