Some responses / Royal Commission into the Non-Medical Use of Drugs, South Australia.

  • South Australia. Royal Commission into the Non-medical Use of Drugs.
Date:
[1978]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Some responses / Royal Commission into the Non-Medical Use of Drugs, South Australia. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    5/92 (page 3)
    INTRODUCTION The Commission has been appointed by the Government of South Australia to inquire into the non-medical use of narcotic, analgesic, sedative and psychotropic drugs or substances of dependence not including nicotine or alcohol. The precise terms of reference are set out in Appendix A. In April, 1977, we issued a small booklet entitled Some Questions. This booklet asked questions on matters on which we felt we needed advice, information and opinions. It was intended to stimulate interest in our work and to provide guidance (without in any way being binding) to individuals and organisations making submissions to us. Following publication of Some Questions we received a large number of submissions and conducted an extensive programme of hearings, public meetings and informal discussions. Some submissions adopted the form suggested by Some Questions, while others adopted different approaches. A list of submissions received by us appears in Appendix B and a schedule of hearings and public meetings conducted is set out in Appendix C. We have also established a research programme to investigate in detail certain issues arising out of our terms of reference. The purpose of this booklet, which follows the general framework of Some Questions, is to give an idea of the responses we have received to our public invitation to make submissions to us. We recognise that in summarising so briefly the substance of nearly 2000 pages of transcripts and perhaps another 1000 pages of submissions we are exercising our own judgment and this necessarily reflects our perception of the issues raised and the evidence presented. However, this booklet is not intended to express our views on the matters within our terms of reference, nor to commit us to any particular conclusions. We should add that the selection of quotations, which accompanies the text, is not representative of all responses in any precise sense—it could. not be..The quotations do, however, provide examples of the range of opinions presented to us. We hope that Some Responses will stimulate further debate on the issues related to the non-medical use of drugs. For this reason we welcome further comments on the matters discussed in the booklet. Comments should be addressed to the Secretary, Royal Commission into the Non- Medical Use of Drugs, P.O. Box: 221, G.P.O.; Adelaide 5001.