The war on drugs remains one of the most pressing issues of our time. But how are nations responding to this perceived threat? What are the implications of these responses for individuals and communities? LLB V student Juliette Marchant talks to Dr Ben Mostyn about the shifting attitudes towards the criminalisation of drug possession, and the tension between legal principles and practice in regulating public behaviours.
Dr Ben Mostyn’s primary research interest is global drug policy. His PhD examined National Archives documents around Australia’s decision to sign the 1988 United Nations drug convention. His primary research is concerned with whether global forces and institutional forces caused Australia to sign the convention and further entrench the global War on Drugs. He is also interested in criminalisation, police powers, drug law reform and regulating global drug markets. Prior to working as an academic, Dr Mostyn worked as a Legal Aid Solicitor in human rights law, administrative law, and family law.