Police have the discretion to issue an All Drug Diversion notice to a person caught with small quantities of illegal drugs other than cannabis, instead of charging them with an offence.
If the offender accepts the notice, they must attend three treatment sessions within 30 days where they will have the opportunity to explore issues related to their drug use with a qualified drug counsellor. If necessary, ongoing support will be made available to the offender after the three sessions have been completed.
Because the program is primarily for adult offenders who have no previous drug dealing convictions, an All Drug Diversion notice can only be issued once. The police officer who issues the notice must also be satisfied the drugs are for personal use.
The program is an opportunity for offenders to avoid a criminal conviction. If the offender does not complete three sessions within 30 days, a summons will be issued for the original drug offence and the matter referred to court.
Contact the Alcohol and Drug Information Service for more information.