Legal weed could be one step closer today, as a parliamentary inquiry into legalising cannabis begins.
The Senate Inquiry is holding its first hearing in Brisbane and will get advice from a number of experts as it looks at the potential legalisation of cannabis for recreational use.
The first round of hearings will include discussions from drug reform advocates, the Australian Medical Association, the Australian Lawyers Alliance and government officials.
It was initiated by a bill introduced in August last year by Greens senator David Shoebridge, after receiving advice that it was constitutionally possible to legalise weed on a federal level.
“At least 40% of Australians have used cannabis and any law that makes almost half of us criminals needs to go,” he said at the time.
“We’ve been told to wait for cannabis law reform for too long, even when it’s obvious that the majority of harm caused is by policing and the war on drugs, not the plant.”
If passed, the bill would legalise weed for recreational purposes and allow people to grow their own plants at home.
It would also see a national agency set up that would register cannabis strains, regulate people who grew the plant and allow the operation of cannabis cafes.
A pay day for the government could also be on the table, with legislation estimated to could bring in $28 billion in tax revenue over the first ten years.
However, not all groups support the bill, with the Australian Medical Association (AMA) saying the legislation would send the wrong message and could harm communities.
“The AMA is concerned that if cannabis were legalised for recreational purposes, it may increase health and social-related harms. This in turn may increase demand on an already overstretched healthcare system,” it said in its submission.
It said that although it supported use being treated as a health issue, it was also concerned cannabis cafes could normalise use and were not restricted in location.
The hearings continue and a final report is due by 31st May.
