ACT BACKBENCHER WANTS CANNABIS LEGALISED

Calls to relax laws


Article heading image for ACT BACKBENCHER WANTS CANNABIS LEGALISED

By Renee Bogatko, Image Credit – Eric Limon/123rf.com

There are fresh calls to legalise cannabis in the territory, with one of Canberra’s young politicians behind the latest push.

Backbencher Michael Petterson will introduce a bill in the ACT Assembly this week, to relax laws around marijuana.

The changes would allow for the personal use and carry of cannabis up to a limit of 50g, as well as increased plant ownership from two to four.

Mt Petterson also wants fines for possessing small amounts of the drug, to be dropped.

“This substance is common place in our society. I don’t understand why a substance used by 35% of Australians, 10% of Australians in the past 12 months, requires a criminal conviction if you’re caught using it,” Mr Petterson said.

“If people can grow their own supply, it means they don’t have to interact with drug dealers. To put this in scope, in Colorado for example, a prominent US state, you’re allowed to grow 12 plants per household. So four is quite moderate.”

The MLA also dismissed suggestions, cannabis is a gateway drug to other things.

“We first and foremost need to have a conversation about alcohol and tobacco. They are the real gateway drugs if you believe in that theory. I don’t, I actually think the real problem we face, is people interacting with organised criminal cartels and drug dealers.”

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18 September 2018




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