Tasmania’s cannabis laws for personal use should change, advocates say

There are growing calls for Tasmania to follow the lead of the ACT and decriminalise personal marijuana use. VOTE IN OUR POLL

RECREATIONAL cannabis use should be decriminalised in Tasmania, advocates say, despite both sides of government refusing to budge.

Legislation passed in the nation’s capital last month, which legalises growing and using cannabis for personal use as of January 2020, has led to a fresh push to decriminalise marijuana use in Tasmania.

The law changes will permit Canberra residents to possess 50g of cannabis and grow two plants.

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But Tasmania’s Liberal and Labor parties have indicated they won’t introduce policies that follow suit.

“The Government is not considering legalising recreational marijuana or any illicit drugs,” a spokesman for Premier Will Hodgman confirmed.

The Labor Party, while supporting cannabis for medicinal use, remained firm on its anti-drug policy for personal use. “Labor believes medicinal cannabis can make a difference for people with epilepsy, cancer, MS, Parkinson’s and many other medical conditions,” a spokesman said.

“[But] Labor has no plans to legalise cannabis for personal use.”

However, Greens health spokeswoman Rosalie Woodruff said laws, fostered by the “war on drugs”, only led to problems such as flourishing profits of criminal syndicates. “We support the legalisation of personal use of cannabis, and would welcome such a move in Tasmania,” she said.

“A poll commissioned by the Greens shows that 59 per cent of Tasmanians support the decriminalisation of personal use of cannabis, and only 28 per cent oppose it.”

There are calls for other states to follow the ACT’s lead and legalise personal marijuana use. Picture: AP

Australian Lawyers’ Alliance national justice spokesman Greg Barns said it was inevitable Tasmania would follow Canberra’s lead.

“You’ve just got to look at global trends. Sadly in Australia we take about 10 years to catch up,” he said, adding Canada, a number of US states, and “large swathes” of South America had already decriminalised cannabis use.

“The thing about cannabis laws is no one takes them seriously.”

Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs Council of Tasmania CEO Alison Lai said decriminalising cannabis for personal use would help reduce harm in Tasmania’s community.

“We support decriminalisation from the perspective that it takes the focus away from a law enforcement approach to one that is more a health response,” she said.

In Tasmania, anyone caught possessing, using or administering marijuana or found cultivating cannabis plants can face a fine of up to $8400 or two years in jail.