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Date: February 4 2006 By Louise Dodson and Andrew Clennell ALL states will be urged to strengthen laws on cannabis use as part of a new national plan to tackle mental illness to be presented by the Prime Minister, John Howard, at his meeting with the premiers in Canberra next week. Mr Howard will seek the agreement of the states at the meeting to a new mental health plan including measures to reduce cannabis use, senior Government sources said. Mr Howard's push was pre-empted by the Premier, Morris Iemma, who yesterday announced tougher penalties for the indoor cultivation of cannabis. The maximum penalty for the cultivation of five to 49 plants for individuals …

This letter to the editor was published in today's Sydney Morning Herald (6 feb 2006): Shoot, don't smoke The new cannabis laws provide for up to one year imprisonment for possession of small amounts of cannabis, while heroin users have government-approved injecting rooms ("Cannabis targeted in mental health drive", February 4-5). Macquarie Street, we have a problem. Alex Jones Leichhardt

People could face up to 20 years' jail for growing cannabis and smokers of the drug forced to undertake counselling on its links to poor mental health under a legislative crackdown. The NSW government is about to introduce what it claims will be the most hardline cannabis laws in Australia, in response to growing concerns of the drug's link to mental illness, according to The Daily Telegraph. People could be jailed for 10 years for growing as few as five higher-strength hydroponic plants, or face a $550,000 fine and/or 20 years' jail for 200 plants. Hydroponic cannabis is between five and seven times stronger than conventionally grown cannabis. NSW Premier Morris …

LIFE STYLE EXTRA (UK) - A 'high tech' cannabis factory holding more than 1,000 plants has been smashed by helicopter police using thermal imaging cameras. Officers seized six 'Eco-Pods'- large drum shaped self-containing machines that give plants the heat, water and artificial light they need to grow faster. Each pod was full of about 100 plants. The three-bedroom house in Watson Street, Deptford, south-east London was raided on 24 January after Community Support Officers were alarmed by strong smells of cannabis coming from the property. Officers carried out a full investigation of the house and the Met's Air Support Unit carried out a fly over where thermal imagin…

A "no smoking cannabis" sign put up in Amsterdam has proved so popular with souvenir hunters that authorities are now giving the chance for it to be bought legally. The sign in the De Baarsjes district has had to be replaced three times in a week, Rinze van Opstal of the district board said on Monday, but more than 350 would-be purchasers have already ordered replicas at €90 ($107) apiece. "It is an overwhelming success, we were expecting between 10 and 20 potential buyers," he said. The proceeds of the sale of the signs will go to charity. More than 75% of the would-be buyers are from the United States, many of whom had seen it on the internet. The local ordinanc…

Author:By SETH FREEDLAND Date: Sunday, February 05, 2006 source: Source City Council votes to require pot cultivation be indoors The Ukiah City Council's ongoing modification of its marijuana cultivation ordinance took another divergent leap Wednesday, when the council voted to require that all cultivation take place indoors. The council members chose to focus on the public safety and quality of life concerns neighbors of pot-growing Ukiahans have delivered to city staff. After four months of administering the ordinance, various issues, including odor and air quality complaints, and an increase in acts of violence and intimidation, led the city to move all med…

By SIMON BENSON February 03, 2006 CANNABIS smokers may be forced to take counselling sessions on the links between marijuana and mental disorders to avoid being charged on a first offence, in a rewriting of NSW drug laws. The Daily Telegraph has learned Premier Morris Iemma called for a review of the cannabis cautioning scheme to send a stronger message about the effects of marijuana on mental health. But the real crackdown will be brought to bear on those caught growing high strength (hydroponic) cannabis - now thought to be a significant factor in rising mental health problems. The Government is about to introduce what it claims will be the most hardline legis…

STATE governments will be expected to toughen up drug laws, in exchange for federal funding to overhaul treatment for the mentally ill. Federal Health Parliamentary Secretary Christopher Pyne, a critic of "weak" cannabis laws, said there was an expectation the states would crack down on marijuana use. Mr Pyne said weak state and territory laws on marijuana use sent the wrong message to young people. He said the link between marijuana use and mental illness was clearly proved. "Those states where cannabis use is decriminalised, we call for them to recriminalise it," he said. "In the states where decriminalisation has not occurred, there is still universally a pol…

Dutch get first cannabis pharmacy From correspondents in Amsterdam February 02, 2006 THE Dutch city of Groningen looks set to open the Netherlands' first pharmacy totally dedicated to providing high quality cannabis for pain relief at affordable prices, it was reported today. Although cannabis is readily available in Dutch coffee shops, the foundation for Medicinal Cannabis Netherlands, a support group for patients, intends launching a pharmacy in the northern Dutch city so people can have access to high-grade cannabis for medical use, the NRC Handelsblad newspaper said. Groningen city council member Fleur Woudstra, who supports the cannabis pharmacy, told the paper…

PEOPLE who smoke cannabis after work short circuit the brain's ability to dump the bad memories accumulated during the day, a Sydney drug expert said today. Dr Jon Currie, director of western Sydney's health services dealing with drug addiction, says smoking marijuana after work leads to emotional instability and abnormal brain function the following day. "Normally, you've had a whole lot of nasty things that have happened to you during the day and you tend to dump all those at night," Dr Currie said. "You just get rid of the bad memories from the brain in a core dump, using natural substances in the brain which are like cannabis. "When you smoke cannabis you are …

Can someone please tell me the CURRENT laws in western australia?