Australia's fight against drugs cost over $3 billion a year

AAP General News (Australia)
08-11-2006
Australia's fight against drugs cost over $3 billion a year

Embargoed until 0001 AEST, Friday July 11



Australia's fight against illicit drugs costs about $3.2 billion a year, with more
than half going to drug-related policing, a hard-hitting report has found.

*Illicit drugs cost Australia between $1.5 billion and $4.9 billion a year - an average
$3.2 billion.

* About $1.3 billion - 40 per cent - was spent on proactive programs of treatment and
prevention. The other $1.9 billion - 60 per cent - was spent on the consequences of drug
use, such as property crime and hospitalisation.

* Most spending went on law enforcement (56 per cent), 23 per cent was outlayed on
prevention strategies and 17 per cent on treatment. Harm reduction made up three per cent.

* State and territory governments spent the most - $2.6 billion or 82 per cent - while
the federal government picked up they remaining 18 per cent or $567 million.

* Border control was the main outlay for the federal government (46 per cent), while
state and territory governments spent about half of their drug budget on day to to day
policing.

* The commonwealth spent significantly less on prevention than their state counterparts
- $574 million (15 per cent) compared with $246.5 million (26 per cent).

AAP tam/cjh

KEYWORD: ILLICIT FACTBOX (EMBARGOED)

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