Cannabis has just been legalised for personal use in the ACT and well, pack your bags!
Possessing and growing marijuana for personal use in our nations capital has just been passed with the successful navigation of private members bill led by Labor backbencher Michael Pettersson. State Labor pushed the bill through the ACT Legislative Assembly with the help of the Greens – no surprises there.
What does it mean? It means those over 18 and residents of Canberra will be able to posses up to 50 grams of the flower and grow two plants. It also means ACT is one step closer to full legalisation which is the case in several states and countries around the world including Canada and Portugal with Mexico and New Zealand damn close.
Attorney-general, Gordon Ramsay (wah?) said it’s time to treat drug addiction as a health issue rather than a “right or wrong” affair which has often led to people receiving criminal records for pretty nonchalant offences. This means more alcohol and drug services and the introduction of special drug courts with a deeper understanding of the plant and it’s uses.
There’s still some stuff to worry about if you fit the above criteria with possession or growing the green still a Commonwelth offence and enforced accordingly!
Shadow attorney-general Jeremy Hanson of the Liberal party was unsurprisingly against the private bill saying it’ll have “perverse outcomes” if passed – maybe a Chicken Crimpy shortage or his local servo?
Ironically the ACT has long been a progressive place with it the first state to run pill testing trials at Groovin The Moo two years running that identified dangerous adulterant PMA and even legalised same-*** marriage way back in 2013 but was eventually revoked after the Government took the case to the High Court.
There’s a bit more to it and how and when the bill will go into affect (likely Jan 2020) but you can read those details over at The Guardian. In the mean time, set your alarms for 4:20pm and celebrate the good times if that’s your thing.
While a bit safe, check out the discussion around medicinal marijuana here in Australia below.
