Australia needs “comprehensive and coherent” laws to regain control of cannabis markets
Penington Institute’s Cannabis in Australia 2025 report reveals an urgent need for governments to take back control of Australia’s fragmented and inconsistent cannabis markets, by embracing reforms that follow the evidence, minimise harm and maximise public benefit. Download report The flagship annual report shows that while medicinal cannabis continues to play an important clinical and […]
Penington disappointed by NSW Government’s “dangerous timidity” on drug reform
Penington Institute statement on the NSW Government’s response to recommendations from the NSW Drug Summit. Attributable to Penington Institute Acting CEO and Director of Research, Dr Jake Dizard: “The NSW Government has opted not to embrace key recommendations from community members and experts designed to minimise harm and make the state safer.” “Blocking additional supervised […]
The Australian: Penington Institute cautions against overly strict cannabis regulation
The Australian recently reported that doctors have criticised medicinal cannabis companies for pushing to assess drug safety based on patient experiences rather than rigorous clinical trials. This comes amid an independent review by the Therapeutic Goods Administration on medicinal cannabis prescriptions, which has highlighted tensions between cautious medical professionals and profit-driven cannabis businesses. Penington Institute […]
Rush to restrict medicinal cannabis could cause additional harms, Penington Institute warns
The Therapeutic Goods Administration is being urged to maintain a balanced and evidence-based approach to medicinal cannabis access – or risk driving people to the unregulated illicit market. Amid rising concerns about patient safety in the medicinal cannabis sector, the TGA is reviewing medicinal cannabis regulations to ensure appropriate regulatory oversight and market controls are in […]
NSW government misses key opportunity on cannabis reform
Penington Institute – Australia’s leading independent drug policy research non-profit – believes the NSW Government has missed an important opportunity to show national leadership on evidence-based cannabis reform. In its newly published response to the Impact of the regulatory framework for cannabis in New South Wales Parliamentary Inquiry’s final report, the Government has rejected every […]
The Guardian: Victorian Liberal members to push for regulated cannabis market at state council
At this month’s Victorian Liberal state council, party members will debate a motion to establish a regulated cannabis market for adult use, The Guardian reports. The proposal, put forward by former Liberal staffer turned lobbyist Mark Briers, calls for cannabis to be treated in a similar way to alcohol, with sales through licensed dispensaries […]
The Age: Drug overdoses spike in those over 40, new data shows
New data from the Penington Institute reveals a troubling trend: while drug-related deaths among young Australians have declined, fatal overdoses among older adults are climbing. The Age highlights a troubling shift in drug-related deaths in Australia. While overdose deaths among young people have declined, the number of fatal overdoses among older adults is climbing. Penington […]
Justice & Reform: 2025 David Penington Oration Champions Cannabis Policy Change
https://youtu.be/nv7ADDvgA_o On Thursday, 28 August, Penington Institute held the 2025 David Penington Oration in honour of our namesake, Professor David Penington AC. The David Penington Oration is an important forum for informed discussion about drug issues that impact every part of our community. We were honoured to continue the legacy of Professor Penington through this […]
More middle-age and older Australians dying from drug overdoses, new figures from the Penington Institute reveal
Australia’s overdose crisis continues to claim lives at an alarming rate, with 2,272 people dying from overdoses in the latest year of comprehensive national data. Download report That’s the equivalent of more than six deaths every single day. The latest figures mark the tenth consecutive year that overdose deaths have exceeded 2,000, and the 16th […]
Overdose in Australia: Findings from Australia’s Annual Overdose Report 2025
You are warmly invited to join us for a special International Overdose Awareness Day 2025 event: the launch of Penington Institute’s latest edition of Australia’s Annual Overdose Report. This year, we are honoured to be joined by Dr Hester Wilson, Chair of the RACGP Addiction Special Interest Group, who will deliver a special address on […]