The latest police data shows the likelihood of being charged for drug use and possession is now about 50-50.
That likelihood drops to 17 percent for first time offenders - down from 50 percent in 2016 and most of 2017.
If police catch you with cannabis, the chances of being charged are about 1 in 3 - but it's still high for meth - at about 3 in 4.
Former Detective Inspector Lance Burdett told Mike Hosking there needs to be thought put into the discretion of charges and the drivers of drug use in the first place.
"We're just sort of putting the ambulance at the bottom the cliff rather than looking at this thing holistically."
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!