Cannabis Law Reform
The reform of laws surrounding the use of cannabis, particularly for medical use, is an issue that is increasingly being discussed at the moment.
In the recent 2010 Midterm Elections in the US, citizens in the State of California voted on ‘Proposition 19′ which dealt with law reforms concerning the use of cannabis. The result was a close 46% in favour and 54% against, meaning that the proposition was lost. However, the high level of public support for the issue is evidence of increasing public pressure towards drug law reform.
In this section we will add news articles and links to resources on the issue of cannabis law reform.
Tuesday 14 February 2012 (Hansard and papers) – Notices of Motion No. 59
1. That this House:
(a) notes the increasing body of international peer-reviewed scientific and medical research
which substantiates the palliative and therapeutic benefits of cannabis and cannabinoid
drugs,(b) notes that the Carr Government’s 1999 Drug Summit recommended a trial of medical
cannabis which has not been implemented, and(c) calls on the Minister for Health to establish a medical cannabis trial in New South Wales,
including assessing and addressing any legislative and jurisdictional barriers to this trial.2. That this House notes that the medical cannabis trial established by the Minister for Health
would conform to the following principles:(a) it would be limited to cannabis in tincture form,
(b) diagnoses for which medical cannabis may be prescribed under the scheme would be
limited to: cancer, AIDS-related severe wasting, chronic pain, chronic nausea, vertigo,
glaucoma, seizures, multiple sclerosis, muscle spasticity and any other illness, condition
or disorder for which the Minister for Health in consultation with the Pharmaceutical
Services Branch of NSW Health is satisfied medical cannabis may form an appropriate
part of palliative or therapeutic treatment for, and(c) eligibility for participation in the scheme would be based on prescription from an
individual’s general practitioner or treating specialist submitted to NSW Health for
approval.3. That this House calls on the Minister for Health to report to this House on the results of the trial
after one year including:(a) any benefits or side effects identified,
(b) any legal barriers encountered and how they were addressed, and
(c) any barriers to the permanent establishment of a medical marijuana scheme in New South Wales and how they may be addressed.
(Notice given 23 November 2011—expires Notice Paper No. 77)
Legislative options for cannabis use in Australia: Monograph no. 26
This paper is concerned with the legislative options available for cannabis, and the impact of those options on the community at large and on the law enforcement sector.
Prepared by the Commonwealth of Australia in 1994. Here is an excerpt:
little evidence exists that cannabis itself causes significant harm when used in small quantities. Australian society experiences more harm, we conclude, from maintaining the prohibition policy than it experiences from the use of the drug.