2025-02-24
The Greens (WA) have officially launched our plan to legalise cannabis with an event featuring federal Greens Senator David Shoebridge and Greens WA Legislative Council candidate Clint Uink.
The world is rapidly moving away from the damaging criminal and policing approach to cannabis.
Around 11 per cent of WA's population (243,000 people) use cannabis each year in Western Australia, and 37 per cent (790,000 people) had used cannabis at least once before in their lives.
Western Australia needs a comprehensive plan for legalisation that will provide safe access to cannabis and cannabis products, end over policing and draw people away from the illicit market.
We can’t legislate and punish cannabis away. It is time to legalise it:
The Greens (WA) plan includes:
- Decriminalising* the personal use and possession of cannabis
- Legalising growing of cannabis on private property of up to six plants for personal use, with a strict limit on amounts that can be traded or given as gifts
- Updating drug driving laws to reflect level of impairment while driving
- All prior convictions for cannabis personal use or possession automatically spent
- All current sentences and penalties for personal use of cannabis be ceased
Quotes attributable to Greens (WA) Alcohol and other Drugs spokesperson and Legislative Council candidate, Clint Uink:
“The war on drugs is an expensive failure.
“From 2017-2021 almost 90% of illicit drug arrests were for personal use. This places a disproportionate financial and social burden on our communities.
“Our current approach to cannabis needlessly drags too many Western Australians – often young people and people from marginalised communities – through the criminal justice system, damaging countless lives in the process.
“With the increase in medicinal cannabis users we must update our drug driving laws to test for impairment, not use. The Road Traffic Act is 51 years old - our knowledge has changed.
“A new study from Swinburne University concluded that the consumption of medical cannabis containing THC has a negligible impact on driving performance when used as prescribed.”
“In Tasmania, there is a medical defence for driving with THC in your system, provided you are not impaired. Victoria is likely to follow suit, so should WA.”
“The Greens have a realistic, evidence-based plan to ensure that all West Australians who choose to use cannabis can do so legally, safely and without fear.
Quotes attributable to WA Greens MLC Dr Brad Pettitt:
“WA decriminalised cannabis in 2004 under Labor and according to research usage didn’t increase.
“Simply looking at the amount of cannabis seized at the state’s border, our plan would see a minimum of $24,408,175 ripped away from the hands of organised crime each year.
“We could divert up to $100 million each year from policing, courts, and correction services and funnel it towards projects like free school lunches, free public transport, and housing.
“In the middle of a cost of living crisis, allowing people to grow their own plants at home could save the median user (1g/day) up to $2,987.67/year, and a daily user up to $6,815.63/year.
“With early voting in the state election underway, we have a real opportunity to get more Greens into parliament who can push the next government to just legalise it.”