Subj: Australia: Cannabis Drug Law Reform in WA



Date: Wed, 17 Nov 1999



Source: West Australian







Cannabis Drug Law Reform in WA



The Court Government has put cannabis law reform back on the political

agenda, agreeing to allow debate on a Greens (WA) Bill decriminalising the

possession of the drug. Greens (WA) MLC Christine Sharp introduced the

Misuse of Drugs Amendment (Cannabis Cautioning Notices) Bill last month and

the Government leader in the Legislative Council has given a written

undertaking that it will be debated in the first half of next year. Dr

Sharp's Bill is based on similar Victorian Laws and allows offenders caught

with less than 100g of cannabis two cautions before being charged. She said

yesterday the Government would now have to decide whether to extend its

current cannabis cautioning scheme - in place in the Bunbury and Mirrabooka

police districts - across WA. Although this scheme was still deficient in

that it had no legislative backing and operated at the discretion of

individual police officers.