The Greens have changed their policy platform to end the party's blanket opposition to the legalisation of illicit drugs, saying "the current punitive approach to drug use has failed to stop illicit drugs use".
The Greens made the change at its national conference on Saturday following 12 months of consultation with health and drug experts, and law enforcement agencies, Fairfax reports.
Greens leader and health spokesperson senator Richard Di Natale, who worked as a GP and public health expert before entering politics, told Fairfax the global war on drugs had failed, and it is time for a new approach to illicit substances.
"It's time to recognise this is a health problem not a law and order one. We have to have an open, honest conversation about this and stop pretending we're winning this war – we're losing and losing fast," he said.
The Greens' platform currently states, "The Australian Greens do not support the legalisation of currently illegal drugs."
The new platform will read, "The legal framework for drugs and other substances used for non-medical purposes should be informed by evidence of the extent and nature of the harm likely to be caused. Education is a vital tool in reducing both harm from and demand for drugs, including legal drugs such as alcohol and tobacco," after members voted to support the changes at The Greens' national conference on Saturday.
The party wants a national body to examine the efficacy of criminalisation of individual drugs - a move which could see cannabis decriminalised. Di Natale said harder drugs, such as heroin and methamphetamine would "absolutely" remain illegal.
Di Natale said he is prepared for a backlash from some sections of the community, but wants the Greens to lead a new conversation on drug decriminalisation because the current system "killing our kids".
Australian Medical Association president Dr. Michael Gannon said he remains cautious about the proposal, but acknowledged that the current approach to illicit drugs is not working in all cases.
"So called 'wars on drugs' have been counter-productive. There’s been inadequate investment in rehabilitation and mental health treatment," he told BuzzFeed News.
"There’s no question that incarceration and the heavy use of the stick of the justice system hasn’t always been helpful in this area. But we’d want to look very carefully at any proposal to legalise drugs."
Gannon, who was consulted by The Greens ahead of the policy change, said any approach to decriminalising drugs would need to look at individual substances, so that methamphetamine and opioids are not treated the same as cannabis.
"We need to be smart about methamphetamine use. It is an absolute scourge. It is the source of so much misery for users, and misery for people working in hospital wards and psychiatric units.
He also said any change to drug laws would need to place heavy emphasis on rehabilitation and mental health treatment.
"You don’t want to communicate the message that [cannabis] is anything other than a drug that causes a lot of problems. The question is, do you cause greater problems by criminalising it?"
BuzzFeed News has contacted senator Di Natale for further comment.