Subj: Australia: Personal Pot May Be Legal



Pubdate: Fri, 16 Oct 1998



Source: The Examiner (Launceston)







PERSONAL POT MAY BE LEGAL



The personal use of marijuana could be decriminalised in Tasmania next

year after public debate.



Attorney-General Peter Patmore said yesterday that he favored the

reform, but not at the expense of a divisive debate, with a community

refusing to accept the reform.



He said a former Liberal Government initiative, taken on police

advice, to apply a cautioning system for first offenders rather than

lump them with a court record, ought to be given another four months'

operation so that the result could be assessed before looking at

decriminalisation.



"My views on this issue are quite clear. Prohibition doesn't work, but

there is no use having a debate which splits the community," he said.



He said a move to legalise marijuana for specified personal quantites

would be coupled with action on national uniform moves to crack down

on harder drugs. A report is due for release in Canberra soon.



"We actually have more lenient laws in Tasmania on marijuana than some

other states, and if I can show the public a sensible approach to

legal personal usage, where precious police time is not wasted, and

otherwise law abiding citizens are not lumped with a criminal record,

then we can take the next step," he said.



"After all, when police now charge a person for personal usage they

are usually let off under the Probation of Offenders Act," he said.