Public should decide drugs law, says, Deputy Commissioner Sir Ken Jones  Chief calls for public debate on drugs  Believes current approach isn't working  Does not advocate softer stance on drugs
ONE of Australia's highest ranking police officers believes the public should decide if some illicit drugs should be legalised. Victoria's Deputy Commissioner Sir Ken Jones said there needed to be a public discussion on drug policy. "I'd love to have a debate at some point about legalisation," Sir Ken told a major conference on organised crime. He said the public should be educated about the flow-on costs, from higher insurance premiums to delays in elective surgery as hospitals treated the fallout from drugs and crime. Outside the conference, Sir Ken said he was not advocating a softer stance on drugs. He said his invitation to a debate was in response to a call by some academics and international police experts for harm minimisation or decriminalisation policies. "There are people in academia, in public policy and law enforcement who are challenging us and saying the current approach is not working." he told the Herald Sun. "I'm hearing it come up a lot." Sir Ken refused to nominate which drugs should be part of any legalisation debate. As a parent, he did not want to see current and future generations exposed to a wider range of legal drugs. "I don't want my daughter exposed to more," Sir Ken said. "If we had our time again, we wouldn't have allowed tobacco ... or alcohol. Are we going to add another 20 to the list? I don't think so." Drug and Alcohol Research and Training Australia expert Paul Dillon said Sir Ken's call deserved respect. "When you see police officers in positions of power making these comments, I don't think they are off-hand," he said. Mr Dillon said marijuana was recently decriminalised in Spain and Portugal while other countries, such as England and the Netherlands, were hardening their stance. "There are those in law enforcement and senior police who are saying what we are doing doesn't seem to be working so well," he said. "We've got to think outside the square and maybe look for things that don't appear to be politically palatable. It's clear just getting tougher does not result in behaviour changes." Victorian police have the power to issue two cautions to anyone possessing or using less than 50g of cannabis for personal use. Mr Dillon said the difference between decriminalisation and legalisation for personal use was an important distinction. Former premier Jeff Kennett canned the call for a debate on marijuana. "I would be absolutely opposed to any legalisation of marijuana," he said.