The Greens have taken a massive stride in making cannabis legal in Australia.
NSW Greens Senator David Shoebridge revealed they have obtained 'compelling' constitutional law advice to create a path forward to make weed legal in federal parliament.
The Senator also said that as the party holds the balance of power in the Senate, the nation is the closest they have ever been to legalising the devil’s oregano.
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While medicinal cannabis has been legal in the country for the past six years, the Australian Capital Territory is the only state where you can possess and consume it for recreational and personal use.
However, the demand to change the law not just state by state but nationwide is high…literally.
According to the 2019 National Drug Use Household Survey, 40 per cent of Australians have used cannabis, and more than 60 per cent of Sydneysiders want cannabis legalised.
While the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in Australia, with a 2019-20 survey finding 36 per cent of people over the age of 14 had used cannabis in their lifetime, and 11.6 per cent had used cannabis in the past year.
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The study also found that 78 per cent of Australians over 14 support decriminalising the drug across the country.
Last month, when Greens Senator David Shoebridge announced his plans to release a draft bill for consultation, he slammed Australia's weed policy as ‘ridiculous’.
He said in a statement: “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.
“Recreational cannabis is enjoyed by millions in Australia and around the world, and pretending otherwise is increasingly ridiculous.”
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He also said that while the US and Canada have a more ‘relaxed market’, Australia continues the war on drugs through ‘sniffer dogs’, random drug testing and lengthy prison sentences.
He added: “At the last election thousands of you asked us to get this done, and this is the first step.
“We’ll be moving ahead on these laws to make it possible for a person to grow a few plants for personal use, or buy a joint or a brownie from a licensed seller. It’s possible, achievable and we’re super ready to get it done.”
Charisa Bossinakis