While it’s too early to say exactly where this road will take the Land Down Under, Australia is making historic moves when it comes to cannabis reform.
On Thursday, Greens Sen. David Shoebridge of New South Wales presented The Greens Legalising Cannabis Bill 2023, which would allow adult-use cannabis country-wide, National Tribune reports. It’s the first bill of its kind to be introduced into the federal parliament to regulate a legal cannabis market.
Shoebridge expressed his optimism around the bill’s potential, saying that a bit of “political courage and collaboration mixed with a truckload of common sense” will make the bill law and “end the war on cannabis.”
“It’s time to stop pretending that consumption of this plant, consumed each year by literally millions of Australians, should still be seen as a crime,” Shoebridge said. “Everyone knows that it is not a matter of if we legalize cannabis in Australia, it’s a matter of when, and today we’re taking a huge step forward. The Greens are here to get this done, and we’ll be working hard to get the numbers to make this law.”
The announcement followed another bill introduced by the Legalise Cannabis Party in mid June to legalize personal cannabis use in Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia’s parliament.
In addition to regulating cannabis, the bill would allow for the registration of strains and establish the Cannabis Australia National Agency (CANA). It would create a national cannabis licensing scheme to oversee small-scale commercial growing operations and sales alongside CANA, which would also act as the wholesaler between producers and retail outlets and set wholesale pricing.
Under the legislation, adults would be legally allowed to grow up to six plants and home and sell through licenses cannabis cafes and dispensaries, similar to the Canadian model which allows cannabis to be sold through government-run dispensaries and licensed private sellers.
Similar to conversations circulating throughout the states, Shoebridge referenced the opportunities surrounding cannabis reform and legalization, specifically the revenue potential. Previous estimates stated that legal cannabis in Australia could rake in $28 billion in public revenue within the first nine years of operation.
It’s also an opportunity for potentially tens of thousands of new jobs, new small businesses, improved regional economies and a tourism boost—once again, all benefits a number of states throughout the U.S. have enjoyed since legalizing recreational cannabis. Shoebridge also referenced that legalization would allow for better oversight to regulate the quality, strength and safety of cannabis products, which he added that “millions of Australians are already using.”
The senator also nodded to the potential surrounding social justice, referencing that legalization would stop the 80,000 Australians who are caught up in the criminal justice system for cannabis possession crimes each year.
“Using the collective wisdom of thousands of contributors who shared their knowledge and experience with us, we are introducing a solidly founded bill that maps out the way to legalize cannabis across Australia,” Shoebridge said.
Growing, possessing, selling and/or using cannabis is currently illegal in Australia, though the precise laws and penalties vary depending on the state and territory. For example, a number of regions (Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania) give police discretion to give cautionary or diversion notices to people carrying up to 50g for personal use for first offenses. Others have similar policies with a lower threshold of 15 grams. Possession fines vary across states.
In January 2020, the Australian Capital Territory changed its rules allowing adults to have up to 50 grams of dry material, 150 grams of wet material and cultivate up to two plants for personal use. It still remains illegal to buy, sell or gift cannabis, or to smoke it in a public place.
