Poll: Two-Thirds of NSW Voters Back Drug Policy Shift

As the countdown begins towards the first highly anticipated Drug Summit in Griffith, new uComms polling, commissioned by Uniting NSW.ACT, is showing 66 per cent of voters in key NSW seats support a health and welfare response to minor drug possession.

Thousands of voters across five key metropolitan and regional NSW electorates (Kogarah, Bankstown, Penrith, Lismore, Tamworth) were surveyed.

The polling shows voters would prefer to see warnings issued, or referrals to treatment or drug education programs rather than sending people to court when they're found with small quantities of illicit drugs such as ecstasy, heroin and methamphetamine.

There was strong support for 'no action' for non-medicinal cannabis.

Even when excluding cannabis, seven in ten (70%) voters support a health and welfare response over criminal action while more than three in five (62%) also oppose fines for other illicit drugs.

In Premier Chris Minns' seat of Kogarah, seven in ten (71%) voters surveyed support health and welfare responses over criminal ones for people found in possession of small amounts of methamphetamine, the drug known as 'ice'. It was a rise in use and dependency of this drug which led to the NSW Ice Inquiry.

Less than a quarter (24%) of Kogarah voters backed a prison sentence, weekend detention or community service order for small amounts of heroin.

Only about one in ten (13%) supported criminal responses for people found with a small amount of cannabis, while more than three-quarters (77%) backed non-criminal responses for ecstasy possession.

In Emergency Services and Youth Justice Minister Jihad Dib's seat of Bankstown, two in three (66%) voters backed non-criminal responses to methamphetamine possession.

The polling also found majority support for non-criminal responses for people found with small amounts of cannabis, ecstasy, methamphetamine and heroin in the Labor-held marginal Western Sydney seat of Penrith, safe Nationals seat of Tamworth, and Lismore, which is held by Labor's Janelle Safin.

Lismore is one of three locations for the Summit, which will also be held in Griffith and Sydney.

Uniting NSW.ACT's General Manager of Advocacy & External Relations Emma Maiden said the survey sent a powerful political message.

"Criminalising people for possessing small quantities of drugs is not only unfair and harmful, it's also unpopular," she said.

"An overwhelming majority of voters don't support criminal sanctions against people who are found with a small amount of drugs and they don't support fining them either. Instead, voters want to see a more compassionate, health and evidence-based approach to drug use and possession - they prefer a referral to drug education or treatment, a warning, or no action at all.

"This is something we've been advocating strongly for as part of our Fair Treatment campaign, for the last six years.

"Our current laws perpetuate harm and stigma, which deter people from seeking treatment and support. A criminal record can also have a detrimental effect on someone's ability to secure a job or home. This increases the long-term strain and costs on our public health and judicial systems.

"These polling results must be taken into account for the upcoming Drug Summit. It's been 25 years between summits - since then we've seen strong evidence that favours health and welfare responses to drug possession, and growing support from the electorate for these changes.

"We've also seen other states and territories across the country, including the ACT and Queensland, adopt sensible and evidence-based laws and policies. NSW continues to lag behind.

"We're calling on the government to not take anything off the table for the upcoming Drug Summit. We want to see all Members of Parliament attend all four days with an open mind. Communities across NSW are relying on their elected representatives to take this seriously and implement solutions.

"Drug reform is urgent - it must be fair, sensible and prioritise dignity, respect, and evidence-based practices. Drug use and possession must be seen as a health and welfare issue. It's crucial that treatment is available to everyone who seeks it - no matter where they live in the state."

The Drug Summit will be held in Griffith on 1 November and Lismore on 4 November, with two days in Sydney on 4 and 5 December.

More detailed data is available upon request.

Uniting NSW.ACT runs the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC) and has spearheaded the Fair Treatment campaign for fairer drug laws for over five years.