Legislative options for cannabis use in Australia

[WantDaChronic]

Legislative options for cannabis in Australia

 

during the last couple of hours i have been reading most of the web pages that showed up in google after searching for cannabis in the australian sites. I came across a ripper of a site, www.health.gov.au who suprisingly give 5 options for cannabis legislation in australia which they list in detail and then give recommendations based on their study. what is suprising about that? well being a government run website, one would expect their point of view to fall in line with the rest of the government, but they actually recommended all the way back in 1994 that the total prohibition policy in Australia regarding cannabis was causing more harm than what the drug itself was and that changes needed to be made to the laws

 

it really sucks that the government didnt take notice of their own findings, maybe we should bring it to their attention again

[Nooby]

Nice find. Given that there is an election coming up and the libs are scraping for numbers it might be a good idea to bring the debate back into the limelight.

 

So get writing people. Letters to the editors of your local papers quoting parts of that linked article. And NICE letters to your local pollies. Pollies will actually listen if you are nice to them and dont act like a dick, put forward the case for MJ with as many FACTS s you can. If yo are writing to any of the more left wing ones then dont forget to mention that our MJ policy was highly influenced by the yanks, which was clearly put in place by business and not social interests.

 

If you'd like I can post a form type letter here which you can modify and send off with your own name on it.

 

N

[WantDaChronic]

If you'd like I can post a form type letter here which you can modify and send off with your own name on it.

 

a few pre-written letters to people like politicians, newspaper editors, etc. that just need a few details changed would be awesome i know im by no means the best speller and tend to use chat lingo when sending emails regardless of who it is to so something like that would stop me from looking like so much of an idiot

[Zaknefain]

Yeah, if every stoner mailed there Member of Parliament asking for decriminalization of marihuana, maybe something would be done. I always see people complaining about marijuana laws; you live in a democracy, so do something about it.

 

 

I bet that 95% of people who get mad about canabis laws do nothing to change them. this is the problem with humans, words are easier than actions, and lazyness is evident in all.

 

 

 

I'm not saying that anyone is complaining, just that the above is true.

[DownUnderDoper]

I really do recommend you all take the time to d/l or at least view the PDF file of this report, the web page is only the abridged version. The full report discusses all 5 of the legislative options not just the 2 on the page, and it's where you can find gems like this:

 

The primary rationale for the regulatory option is the recognition that the eradication of all cannabis use is an unrealistic goal and that, since cannabis use will occur, it should occur in the safest possible environment. It recognises that the gateway theory of drug use (that cannabis users have an increased likelihood of progression to more dangerous drugs as a direct result of using cannabis) is not supported by empirical evidence.

 

Gotta love some Government reports huh?

 

DUD

Edited June 21, 2007 by DownUnderDoper

[Nooby]

OK, still working on letter, will post when done.

 

N

[Ruen]

a majority of Australians do not support regulated distribution of cannabis just as the majority of Australians tend towards a punishment not treatment prohibition strategy. until this changes it is unlikely that the government will make a change but it wouldnt be unheard of(like forcing schools to be inter ratial back in the 60's most voters disagreed but the government changed it anyway)

[Luke Skywalker]

They're only against it though because they've been told the lies over and over again over the last 70 odd years. Takes a while for intelligence to sift through the crap...

 

The more we talk about it, the more people are educated on the REALITY of drug use in the big widw world, (i.e., just about everyone takes recreational drugs of some type, licit or illicit and it does them little to no harm) the more chance we have of changing the ridiculous legal environment we find ourselves in.

 

For gods sake, this is the 21st Century!!!

[iamnotacop]

Some of my favorite quotes, and only in thefirst 10 pages.

 

==============

 

1. Options should be evaluated on the basis of evidence of damage.

 

2. The goals of drug policy should be realistic.

 

3. Discussion of cannabis policy (and drug policy generally) should recognise the existence of multiple and sometimes contradictory goals.

 

4. The harms caused by the control regimes themselves should not outweigh the harms prevented by them.

 

5. Although some difference of opinion exists with regard to the range of legislative options for cannabis which are available to Australia within the scope of the international treaties, it is clear that the policy of total prohibition currently followed by most States and Territories is only one of a number of options which are available.

 

6. The total prohibition policy, as implemented in the United States, many other countries and most of the Australian States and Territories, has clearly not achieved its intended goal of substantially reducing cannabis consumption.

 

7. Cannabis policy has not been separated from that of other drugs; arguments about the consequences of drug use have not been separated from arguments about morals; the goals of the 'war on drugs' are unrealistic; it appears that the harms caused by the control regimes outweigh the harms caused by the drug itself.

 

 

8. Evaluative studies have shown that cannabis use has not increased in The Netherlands since the liberalisation of its policy relating to cannabis. Indeed, levels of cannabis consumption are far lower than those of the United States, where the total prohibition policy is rigorously enforced. The policy of the separation of the drug markets (i.e. separating cannabis from other drugs which can have more serious consequences) has apparently been successful. In a number of ways The Netherlands' drug policy meets many of the criteria for good drug policy discussed above.

 

8. It recognises that the gateway theory of drug use (that cannabis users have an increased likelihood of progression to more dangerous drugs as a direct result of using cannabis) is not supported by empirical evidence.

 

9. Although only a tiny minority of cannabis users report problems with the drug serious enough to require treatment, it is widely accepted that a prison sentence is an unsatisfactory option for many offenders with drug problems,

 

10. It should be noted, however, that few cannabis users need treatment for dependence on cannabis as such.

 

11. Arguments about the consequences of drug use should be separated from arguments about morals.

 

========================

 

 

How is that for my first post???

 

I agree with DownUnderDoper, anyone interested in cannabis in Aus should read this report. It also should be noted about the Ministerial Council On Drug Strategy are the ones we should be writing to, eg.

==========

The MCDS is the primary body responsible for policy decisions in relation to licit and illicit drugs in Australia and comprises Australian, State and Territory Government ministers from health and law enforcement and the Australian Government Minister for Education Science and Training.

==========

[Nooby]

Great work notacop!

 

I'll incorporate some of that in my letter.