2025-10-14
The Victorian Greens have said Labor’s decision to reject the key recommendations from an inquiry into cannabis is ‘spineless’, and will continue impacting marginalised communities.
Earlier this year, a parliamentary inquiry into a private member’s bill that would have decriminalised the personal use of cannabis released its final report.
The inquiry recommended adopting an approach to decriminalising cannabis in line with the bill, while drawing on the successful experience of the ACT, where cannabis has been decriminalised for personal recreational use since 2020.
In their response to that report today, Labor rejected this recommendation.
Given minor cannabis offences are disproportionately enforced against people experiencing poverty, structural oppression, and over-policing, Labor’s decision to treat recreational cannabis use as a crime will continue to cause real harm to thousands of Victorians every year.
Quotes attributable to Victorian Greens drug harm reduction spokesperson, Aiv Puglielli MLC:
“This is a spineless decision from a government that wants to pick and choose who benefits from drug harm reduction.
“The Premier herself has admitted to using cannabis, and yet would punish other Victorians for doing the same. This Labor Government decision reeks of privilege.
“The reality is people use cannabis. Rejecting what the experts are calling for isn’t just kicking this can down the road, it will cause real and profound harm to thousands of Victorians.”