MARIJUANA DECISION HAS SA USERS LIGHTING UP IN CELEBRATION

Home-grown marijuana users in South Australia were lighting up in
celebration yesterday after parliament restored to 10 the number of plants
that can be grown for personal use.

The Olsen Government used regulations a little more than a year ago to
slash the number from 10 to three after police lobbied for a crackdown,
claiming Adelaide had become Australia's marijuana capital.

According to police, organised crime had been using the state's 10-plant
law to organise marijuana-growing syndicates to produce a lucrative cash
crop for interstate export.

But, in the early hours of yesterday morning, the state's Legislative
Council threw out the regulation that reduced the plant limit to three -
and the government now looks certain to compromise.

Health Minister Dean Brown said yesterday he would not move immediately to
reintroduce the tougher line and the 10-plant limit would now stay in place
for at least two months - enough time for a hydroponic crop to be planted
and harvested.

It means South Australians can again grow up to 10 plants and face a
penalty no higher than a $157 on-the-spot fine - similar to a speeding
ticket, but less expensive. Driving at more than 15kmh above the speed
limit attracts a fine of $210.

The move was initiated by Labor's upper house leader, Carolyn Pickles, who
said yesterday the police crackdown had increased the level of organised
crime involvement, not reduced it.

Ms Pickles accused the government of "a knee-jerk reaction" to the original
police request for tougher laws.

"The large drug trade will always find a way to get around the laws, and
it's that we have to concentrate on," she said.

Democrats leader Mike Elliott confessed to "being more than marginally
surprised" the often-conservative upper house had voted to end the crackdown.

"But it was a bad decision to lower the number of plants," he said. Mr
Elliott said that under the 10-plant law, there had been a lot of growers
who planted the maximum crop for their own needs and sold the surplus.

"When the limit came down, the supply didn't meet the demand and marijuana
users were forced back to organised crime, which also has a vested interest
in selling harder drugs like amphetamines and heroin," he said.

Mr Brown said yesterday he was concerned by the possibility young people
were being exposed to hard-drug dealers and there would be no immediate
move to reintroduce the tougher limit by regulation. "I've spoken to some
of the MPs who voted to increase the personal limit back to 10 plants, and
they have indicated their concerns are serious."

He said he had asked the state's drug authorities to launch an
investigation and would wait for the results before going back to cabinet
with tougher laws.

He admitted the government's new line might be a compromise approach -
allowing personal users to grow five or six plants, rather than trying
again for the three-plant limit.