While prescription medical cannabis became legal in 2016, recreational cannabis use remains a criminal offence in most states and territories in Australia, where laws vary from state to state. In September 2019, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) passed legislation legalizing possession of small amounts of cannabis for personal use from January 31, 2020, if the owner is 18 years of age or older. The laws of the ACT states contradict federal laws that still prohibit the recreational use of cannabis. Shoebridge, who plans to release a bill for consultation later this year, said the move would be the first attempt to legalize cannabis by the federal legislature, and that Australia would join countries such as Germany, Canada, Uruguay, South Africa, Jamaica, Mexico, Malta and at least 19 states in the United States to decriminalize the drug. The poll asked people about their attitudes toward cannabis and legal reforms, before asking, “If a political party or candidate supported the legalization of cannabis, would that more or less likely lead you to vote for them?” On 31 May 2019, the Victorian Legislative Council tasked the Legal and Social Affairs Committee to launch a Cannabis Use Inquiry[64] to investigate access to and use of cannabis in the State of Victoria, for example to prevent children and young people from accessing and using cannabis, prevent criminal activity related to the illicit cannabis trade in Victoria and improve public health and safety in Victoria. Protect the link to cannabis use in Victoria. The committee was also tasked with evaluating successful models from International Authorities and examining how to adjust the results for Victoria. The Committee opened submissions to the public on May 18, 2020, with a deadline of August 31, 2020. [65] On August 5, 2021, the Commission submitted a report to Parliament.
The committee received 1,475 written opinions, held 28 public hearings over 7 days, interviewed a number of experts in various fields, police, community members, people who use cannabis, and held a youth forum in the Parliament Building to hear directly from the views and experiences of people under the age of 25. The report included a number of recommendations, including that “the Victorian Government investigate the impact of the legalisation of cannabis for personal use by adults in Victoria” and “that the Victorian Government review existing cannabis-related offences”. The committee stated, “This should include examining alternative methods that could be used to detect and measure impairment, noting that current testing does not adequately measure impairment and that THC can be detected in a person`s system long after they are no longer affected by the drug.” The Committee also reached a number of conclusions, including that “school-based drug education is most effective when it is based on a harm reduction approach rather than abstinence-based messaging” and that “public health and drug education campaigns should avoid harmful stereotypes of users and reinforce stigma.” On 28 February 1996, the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly passed the Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Act 1996. The amendments allow the police to notify an adult who is in possession of cannabis or who grows small amounts of cannabis at their discretion. [32] In his speech at second reading on this legislation, the Attorney General of the Northern Territory, Steve Hatton, stated: “Personal possession of the smallest amount of cannabis will remain a criminal offence under Northern Territory law and police will retain discretion to prosecute possession of cannabis. However, the government is prepared to face the reality that cannabis possession and use is widespread in the community, regardless of the penalties imposed on its use. The Government considered that in a situation where no other person was harmed by the offender`s conduct, a criminal conviction for such conduct was disproportionate. The government believes that insisting on prosecuting adult offenders in court is a waste of police resources. The Act entered into force on 1 July 1996. [33] On October 15, 2019, Cate Faehrmann moved a motion to introduce the Cannabis Industry Act, 2019 to legalize cannabis and cannabis products; regulating the sale, supply and advertising of cannabis and cannabis products; and for other purposes in New South Wales. [67] In Western Australia, August 2011: A person found in possession of ten grams or less of cannabis may receive notification of the cannabis intervention requirement to attend a mandatory individual counselling session.
People over the age of 18 can only receive one CIR, while a young person (aged 14 to 17) can receive two. Subsequent minor cannabis-related offences will be prosecuted. [105] Quantities greater than ten grams are punishable by up to A$2,000 or two years` imprisonment, or both. A person found in possession of more than 100g of cannabis would have that amount for delivery and could face a fine of A$20,000 or two years in prison. [106] Opposing political parties have accused the government of changing laws to crack down on drugs in response to increased public fear of secret drug labs after some of them exploded in suburbs, such as the Lilac Pass incident. Term used to describe an agreement in which the customer purchases cannabis on credit, which is usually reimbursed on pay day, or when cannabis is sold for commercial purposes. The Australian Marijuana Party was an Australian political party founded by Jim Billington[130] that fought for the legalization of cannabis between the 1970s and 1980s. [131] According to NDSHS 2019, when asked if their medical cannabis had been prescribed by a physician, only 3.9% of those who reported using cannabis for medical purposes received it by prescription – 1.8% had always prescribed it and 2.1% had prescribed it at certain times. That is, among those who reported using cannabis for medical reasons, 95.9% did so in 2019, three years after legal access to medical cannabis was approved without a doctor`s prescription. [122] On February 24, 2016, Australia legalized the cultivation of cannabis for medical and scientific purposes at the federal level. [3] “We have been told to wait too long for cannabis law reform, even though it is clear that most of the damage is caused by policing and the war on drugs, not the factory,” Shoebridge said in a statement Monday. The Council suggests that there are three Commonwealth leaders who would allow it to legalise and regulate cannabis use, with the clearest route via a part of Article 51 relating to copyright, patents for inventions and designs, and trademarks.
The Australian Greens have announced a plan to legalise cannabis in the country by 2023. Possession of cannabis is illegal in Tasmania – in fact, any utensil or device used to prepare, smoke or inhale cannabis is illegal and can result in a fine of up to A$7,950. Trafficking in 25 grams of oil or 1 kilogram of plant material is punishable by up to 21 years` imprisonment. Despite this growth, the country`s marijuana industry is still young. Recreational use is not yet in sight, and even access to medical care remains limited and highly regulated. Despite this, public support for legalization continues to grow, nearly doubling in six years. On 12 November 2017, commercial production of industrial hemp in South Australia was licensed under the Industrial Hemp Act, 2017. [48] [49] On the same day, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) legalized hemp seeds for human consumption in Australia. [4] As the small party ramps up its campaign to legalize cannabis ahead of a bill for private MPs next year, Green Party justice critic David Shoebridge said the advice of constitutional lawyer Patrick Keyzer paved the way for new federal laws. Today, driving with THC in your system in Western Australia is a criminal offence, whether for medical or recreational purposes. Personal cultivation is illegal. The use, supply and possession of cannabis is illegal in New South Wales (NSW); However, first-time offenders with a small amount can only be warned.
Up to two warnings can be received, and they often come with a referral for drug-related information. Under the plan, calculated by Parliament`s independent budget office, it will be legal for Victorians over 18 to buy cannabis, which would be taxed at a rate of 30% of turnover – largely in line with alcohol taxes.
