The government has released its proposed law for legalising cannabis for recreational use (i.e. the right to get high)
PROBLEMS:
1.It will be legal to grow cannabis for personal use. The problem with private homes being used as ‘grows’ is that dope dealers will simply stay under the radar with multi-location grows, and children will be exposed to the industry – right in their backyard.
They also want to allow “social sharing”. Yeah – let’s get the whole neighbourhood high!
14 grams can be carried – or purchased each 24 hours (not sure how they police that?) – that’s anywhere from 14 – 28 joints, every day!
Home grows are simply a form of black market. They avoid any regulation. Who is going to monitor what a local drug dealer is growing in their backyards?
2. SmokeFree – but a joint or edible in the home is fine.
Imagine what example this sets to young people and children about drug use. And of course, as mentioned above, the whole neighbourhood can join in the party.
3. ‘Gummy bear heaven’ – all the products that Big Marijuana wants.
Unlike Canada, edibles will be immediately legal (and many of these products are targeted at young people – irrespective of whether it’s legal for them or not). And every other jurisdiction has been engulfed – either through the legal market (Colorado, California), or through the black market (Uruguay, Canada) – with edibles.
The market share of bud has fallen and the market share of THC-infused edibles and THC concentrates continues to rise.
4.The Police will be just as busy – if not busier.
A regulatory authority will be created to manage the licensing system, and it will be expected to work with any law enforcement agencies. That means checking every home grow, every user for their age, testing all potencies, licensed premises – the list goes on.
5. This is a proposed bill which could be changed by an incoming government.
Voters really don’t or won’t know the ultimate outcome of what legalisation will look like.
After the election, the incoming Government will need to follow a process to introduce a Bill to Parliament that would make recreational use of cannabis legal. This process would include the opportunity for the public to share their thoughts and ideas on how the law might work.
6. Drug dealers will be able to become drug dealers.
Having a criminal conviction will not prevent a person from having a licence to sell cannabis.
7. The ‘black market’ will be celebrating.
- limitations on the potency of cannabis – including dabs (wax)
- age limits (didn’t hear the Greens wanting the voting age to be lifted to 20?)
- limited availability of product
- an increasing market for vaping (which has no mention in the legislation – despite its prevalence and health concerns in the US!)
8. Pot shop by your local school or kindy?
There appears to be no restrictions on the location of pot shops.