The reality is that many Australians choose to use cannabis. 35% of us have tried it or used it socially but, unfortunately, this choice remains illegal and can have serious consequences.
While possession of small amounts of cannabis has been decriminalised in the ACT, it is still at the discretion of the police whether you will receive a fine or go to Court, and possession of larger amounts can get you a criminal record. We recognise that there are limitations with legalisation at a State/Territory level due to Commonwealth laws, and the Greens want to see a nationally consistent scheme which allows for the supply and sale of cannabis in a nationally regulated market. Our federal Greens colleagues are continuing to campaign for this change.
The Greens believe that we need to ensure drug law reform responds to evidence about what works rather than relying on old approaches that cause harm. We need experts from health, the legal fraternity, law enforcement, First Nations peoples and substance users with lived experience to guide us. A new and ongoing Ministerial Advisory Council for Drug Law Reform incorporating this expertise will be tasked with developing new, innovative and responsive legislation and practices to establish a genuinely advanced system of harm minimisation.
Recent debates in the ACT about the further decriminalisation of cannabis failed to recognise that for many people, access to therapeutic or medicinal cannabis is severely restricted, overly bureaucratic and of little help for those who may need a long term supply to make tinctures or oils for the treatment of chronic conditions. We want to ensure that people are not having to tap into the ‘black market’ to supplement their supply, and we also recognise that not all Canberrans have access to a back yard or secure outside location to grow the legally permitted number of plants. That is why we will improve the existing legislation to allow people with legitimate medical needs to possess up to 150 grams; and remove the outdated barrier to artificial cultivation.
