MEDIA RELEASE | For Immediate Release
20 June 2023, [MELBOURNE, VIC]
For the first time in Australian legislative history, the same Bill will be introduced in three states on the same day by the Legalise Cannabis Party.
The Regulation of Personal Adult Use of Cannabis Bill 2023 will legalise the personal consumption of cannabis in Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia.
This unprecedented legislation will allow adults to responsibly possess and grow small quantities of cannabis at home and has been modelled, in part, on the ACT regime that has been in operation since 2020.
Rachel Payne, Legalise Cannabis Victoria MP said, “This Bill actions sensible and meaningful reform to end the criminalisation of people who consume cannabis. It’s time our governments reformed outdated laws, in line with community expectations.”
The Bill will facilitate the legal regulation of cannabis, allow sharing between adults and carers to grow on behalf of others.
Importantly, the Bill will not allow people under 18 to access cannabis or allow people to drive while impaired by cannabis.
There have been over 700,000 arrests in Australia for cannabis-related offences since 2010. Over 90% of these arrests were merely for possessing or consuming cannabis. This Bill will significantly reduce the cannabis black market, estimated by police to generate organised crime profits of $8 billion per annum.
This Bill will be the first of a three-stage process proposed by the Legalise Cannabis Party to responsibly legalise cannabis across the nation.
Legalise Cannabis Victorian MP David Ettershank said, “Cannabis laws make criminals of ordinary Australian consumers and perversely, create a huge illicit market run by real criminals.”
National Secretary of Legalise Cannabis Australia, Craig Ellis, said, “An arrest for cannabis can have a massive impact on a young person’s life, negatively affecting their ability to get work, travel and source rental accommodation. This Bill is the first step to ending the unfair and damaging criminalisation of otherwise law-abiding people who choose to use cannabis.”
NSW Legalise Cannabis MP Jeremy Buckingham said, “This Bill is a nationally coordinated, modest and responsible first step toward the legal regulation of cannabis. Our framework for regulation focuses on responsible adult use, maintains protections for children and ensures better public health outcomes. It’s time to take cannabis supply and quality control out of the hands of organised crime and make the needs of the community, patients and consumers a priority.”
Dr Brian Walker, WA Legalise Cannabis MP and Vice President of the Federal Party said, “I look forward to debating this Bill in the coming months, and to giving the people a real alternative to the failed and discredited war on drugs.”
Ms Payne said, “For too long cannabis laws have disproportionally criminalised young people, indigenous people and culturally diverse communities. These laws currently cause real harm to marginalised groups, and we should as a society come together to do something about it”. Mr Ettershank said, “Cannabis prohibition is 95 years old. A million Victorian consumers say it’s failed and it’s time for a change. It’s time to regulate and educate”.
Ms.Payne, Mr Ettershank, Mr Walker and Mr Buckingham are available for interviews on request.
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