Pressure to change 'weak' cannabis laws

[Tom]

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 police approach which is quite soft towards personal use of cannabis.

 

"We expect the states to review those laws and review police practice."

 

Mental health will be one of the key agenda items at the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting in Canberra on Friday.

 

"One of the outcomes of COAG we hope would be a more uniform approach by the states towards the ramifications of cannabis use," Mr Pyne said.

 

Prime Minister John Howard has called for a crackdown on cannabis use because of its links to mental illness.

 

But his office played down suggestions that federal funding under any COAG agreement on mental health would be tied to tougher marijuana laws.

 

"It will only come up at COAG if the states raise it," a spokesman said.

 

A spokesman for Queensland Premier Peter Beattie said the Federal Government had not previously indicated it would be linking drug laws to discussions on mental health.

 

"We will be pleased to have a look at anything that Christopher Pyne puts up," he said.

 

Beyond Blue – a national, independent organisation working to address issues associated with depression and substance abuse disorders – has backed calls to link drug abuse to mental health.

 

Chief executive Leonie Young said: "It is very important that we don't have an isolated mental health strategy that doesn't incorporate the national alcohol and drug strategies.

 

"It is very important that they are integrated."

 

Author: Paul Dyer and Daryl Passmore

Date: 05feb06

Source: www.thesundaymail.news.com.au

Copyright: © Queensland Newspapers

 

[WantDaChronic]

great, so now the states are gonna be forced to recriminalize marijuana consumption in order to fund mental health programs

 

maybe us stoners should file a civil suit against these corrupt fuckers for blackmail as that is till illegal in australia

[nugget]

There was something similar in yesterdays paper about Tassie bringing in harsher laws the same as NSW. Fat load of BS if ya ask me. Lemme see if i can find it.

 

Libs want drug lead followed

By LINDA SMITH and AAP

04feb06

 

THE State Government should "get its head out of the sand" and follow a NSW lead to implement tough new drug laws, the state Liberals say.

 

The call came as NSW announced tough new cannabis laws yesterday as part of a plan to crack down on criminal drug syndicates and reduce the incidence of drug-related mental illness.

 

The laws make a distinction between cannabis cultivated outdoors and the hydroponically grown indoor varieties that can be up to seven times more potent.

 

The laws include tougher penalties for growing hydroponic cannabis and for people who expose children to the drug and its cultivation.

 

Penalties for electricity theft to power hydroponics will double to $11,000 and two years' jail and police will get greater search powers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Previously, 1000 cannabis plants were considered a large commercial quantity but under the new laws, just 200 hydroponically grown cannabis plants would constitute a large commercial quantity, qualifying for the maximum 20-year jail penalty.

 

Opposition Leader Rene Hidding said the Tasmanian Government needed to implement similarly tough laws.

 

The Opposition has announced a raft of drug policies if they win the next state election, including a $250,000 advertising campaign, a dedicated drug court and police squad and a dob-in-a-dealer hotline.

 

Mr Hidding said there was growing evidence of a link between long-term cannabis use and the incidence of severe mental health problems, with mental health cases increasing in Tasmania.

 

And he said as the new laws targeted big-time growers, they would significantly reduce the supply of cannabis.

 

Government spokesman Shaun Rigby said the state already had a robust drugs policy.

 

"But of course we will look at what other jurisdictions do," he said.

[WantDaChronic]

looks like it could be every state and territory thats gonna get these new laws

 

guess i should start saving and move to holland

[Frazz]

Howard knows everyone has a price....it just varies as to how much

seeing he has about 30 billion dollars of our money at his disposal he can bribe the state govt. to change the laws for him....and he comes up smelling of roses

[raverspec]

GRRRR....please see my pissed off reply:

http://cannabis.community.forums.ozstoners...showtopic=11641