Penington Institute calls for ‘health-focused’ cannabis regulation

Appropriately coloured billboards have popped up across Geelong asking if locals support a push for cannabis usage to be regulated within a new framework. HAVE YOUR SAY.

A billboard asking if cannabis should be regulated on the corner of Yarra and Little Malop streets in Geelong. Picture: Alison Wynd

There is a new push for cannabis to be legally regulated for adult usage with green billboards popping up across Geelong asking if locals support the move.

Penington Institute’s Regulate It? campaign is calling for a “health-focused” approach to safely regulate usage of the drug, which would include where it can be consumed and how products are branded.

It comes as a state parliamentary inquiry is considering a bill to decriminalise personal use.

The bill would make it lawful for an adult to possess small quantities of the drug and to cultivate no more than six plants for personal use.

One of the billboards in Grovedale. Picture: Alison Wynd

Penington Institute’s director of research Jake Dizard said it had developed an “evidence-based” model to regulate cannabis usage.

“We’re talking about a shift away from criminalisation toward a health-focused approach that allows adults controlled access to cannabis,”hesaid.

“This approach brings an unregulated market under oversight, channelling it toward positive health, social, and economic benefits.”

Penington Institute’s director of research Dr Jake Dizard

Billboards for the campaign - located in Geelong, Grovedale, Belmont and Moolap - pose questions such as: “Do you think people under the age of 18 should be able to buy cannabis?” and “Should cannabis be safely regulated?”.

The institute is calling for cannabis products to be in standardised, uniformed packaging and free from colours or branding with clearly labelled product ingredients.

There would be regulations on how potent the products are and all forms of advertising and promotion would be prohibited.

“Regulation means safer products than what people currently access via the black market,” Dr Dizard said.

“This better protects the community.”

Medicinal cannabis was legalised in 2016 and can only be prescribed by a doctor.

Western Victoria Primary Health Network clinical spokeswoman Anne Stephenson said there was limited evidence about the drug’s effectiveness on health conditions, but many patients have found it beneficial.

“While cannabis, or marijuana, has been around for a long time, in the last 10 years there has been increased interest in the community for the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes,” she said.

More than 80 per cent of Australians believe possession of cannabis for personal use should not be a criminal offence, according to the National Drug Strategy Household survey.

This is an increase from two-thirds support in 2010.

Data from the Crime Statistics Agency showed there had been 265 offences for cannabis use and possession in Greater Geelong in the 12 months to June.

It is an offence to possess more than 50g of the drug.

A Barwon Health spokeswoman directed questions to the state government.

A Victorian government spokesman said: “We have no plans to change laws regarding cannabis possession or use at this time.”

Originally published as Penington Institute calls for ‘health-focused’ cannabis regulation