What we’ve got here in Australia at the moment is something of a hotbed issue, wherein everything the Federal Government is saying and doing seems to suggest that they believe the decriminalisation and regulation of marijuana for medicinal purposes is yes. But it’s from the states – who have the legislative authority on the issue – where Governmental mixed feelings are being experienced.
Late last week Tasmania shot down a push to decriminalise the use of medicinal cannabis by terminally ill people. But meanwhile in NSW – whose state government, like Tasmania, is currently held by the Liberal party – medical trials have been approved to officially investigate the long-suspected benefits that cannabis has for terminal patients or children with debilitating epileptic-related disorders.
But meanwhile, the Federal Parliament has been engaging in a rare display of unity on the issue. We already know that Prime Minister Tony Abbott has thrown his support behind the push, and that a cross-party group of senators – collectively known as the Parliamentary Group for Drug Policy and Law Reform – have been working on drafting a bill that will provide national framework for the regulation and distribution of medical marijuana. That bill looks set to be introduced into Parliament as early as next week.
The senators heading up the group – the Green‘s Richard Di Natale, Melissa Parke from the Labor Party, and the Liberal‘s Sharman Stone – have sent a fairly blunt, and unified message, with Stone stating “We should allow those currently suffering cruel deaths to have access to medicinal cannabis.”
“It isn’t new. It isn’t innovative. It’s just Australia catching up.“
The private member’s bill will not legalise medicinal marijuana – rather it will provide Federally regulated legislative framework for the growth and distribution of the drug that the states can then adopt and implement with mirror legislation.
Meanwhile in Victoria, ahead of this Saturday’s State Election, a push from a candidate could see a bill angling for the legalisation of recreational marijuana introduced in a potential new-look state government. Fiona Patten, the Australian Sex Party upper house candidate for the Northern Metropolitan region, has pledged to introduce a Private Member’s bill that will mirror the bills in effect in 4 US states – such as Colorado – seeking to legalise and regulate the recreational drug, with tax proceeds going towards education.
“In 2010-11, Victoria gave 5570 of its citizens a criminal record, simply for possessing marijuana for their own use.
We pursue dope smokers far more vigorously than we chase cocaine users. It’s just a dumb way to try and regulate a drug that is, by all accounts, less dangerous and costly than alcohol.”
We pursue dope smokers far more vigorously than we chase cocaine users. It’s just a dumb way to try and regulate a drug that is, by all accounts, less dangerous and costly than alcohol.”
“We should be following the lead of four US states who have legalised recreational marijuana. Victoria could raise $250 million a year through a 30 per cent excise tax on the product, similar to that now in place in Colorado. We have roughly the same population as Colorado, and last year Colorado raised $291 million in taxes on recreational marijuana. In Colorado the revenue raised from marijuana is largely used for education – and the use of marijuana by minors has fallen since regulation was introduced.“
“In 2010-11, between $750 million and $1.5 billion was spent on recreational marijuana in Victoria. This money will be spent by consumers every year no matter how many more millions the government spends on trying to stop it. It’s an unwinnable war. So if I’m elected to State Parliament on Saturday, I’m going to introduce a Private Member’s Bill to tax and regulate recreational marijuana.“
The long and short of it? If the Federal Government can band together for a joint venture on the subject, then it’s probably high time the people of Australia were no longer subjected to the pot luck of state politics.
Photo: Menahem Kahana via Getty Images.
