'HOME' DRUG GROWERS BACK TO 3 PLANTS

South Australians will have the number of marijuana plants they can grow without being liable to criminal charges reduced from 10 to three. Cabinet, which made the decision yesterday, will gazette the regulation within a week.

Only last month the Legislative Council decided to scrap the three-plant limit for "personal use" marijuana growers.

But under the new regulations, people caught with three or fewer plants will be served with a $150 expiation notice.

Those caught with more than three plants will face courts and could be fined or jailed.

Police and Emergency Services Minister Robert Brokenshire said the Government would also reintroduce legislation to limit plant numbers to three later this year.

He hoped the Labor Party and the Australian Democrats ­ which passed the 10-plant limit last month ­ would support the reduction.

"We have admitted illicit drugs is a major issue and the Government is committed to coming down from 10 plants to three," Mr Brokenshire said.

"What we are calling for is the Labor Party and the Democrats to support us on something which is very important to the social fabric of this state.

"It's time we got tougher on illicit drugs.

"We are seeing interstate trafficking of this drug. Surely three plants is plenty.

"Ten plants, which Labor and the Democrats are advocating, is setting up a cottage industry for SA."