RELAX DRUG PENALTIES, SAY EXPERTS

GETTING caught with cannabis will be like copping a speeding fine if
recommendations from top drug researchers are adopted by the State
Government.

The Federal Government-funded National Drug Research Institute at
Curtin University released a report yesterday calling for an expanded
caution system and civil penalties.

Research head Simon Lenton sent a copy of the report to the Government
but Premier Richard Court poured cold water on it.

"When you see as much damage as I do in relation to drug abuse I'm not
interested in freeing up gateway drugs," Mr Court said.

"Many of the hard-core heroin users, some of them very young, start
with a gateway drug such as cannabis."

Mr Lenton said cannabis possession should not be legal but more
liberal laws would cut social and financial costs the drug caused. It
would be better for police and cut back court resources needed to deal
with small-time users.

Under the plan people could grow three plants and escape a criminal
conviction. They would get a caution for a first minor offence and an
infringement notice for a second offence.

Proponents of the gateway principle claim cannabis users are
introduced to harder drugs by criminal contacts they meet through the
drug scene.

But Mr Lenton said the plan would actually close this
gateway.

The cannabis market would move away from large-scale criminal
suppliers towards small-scale user-growers, he said.

Mr Lenton said conservative estimates showed that 39 per cent of
Australians over 14 had tried the drug. About 18 per cent (2.7 million
people) had used it in the past year.

Possession of cannabis would still be illegal under the plan. However,
possession of up to 50g and not more than three mature plants would
attract an initial caution and a subsequent fine of up to $150 but no
criminal conviction.

A $50 fine would apply for possession of 25g or less. People receiving
a fine could pay up within 28 days or attend a cannabis education session.

Mr Lenton said they had considered recommending the legalising of
cannabis but had decided against it because there was no evidence
cannabis use would drop, it would be inconsistent with international
drug treaties Australia had signed and the majority of the public did
not want it.

Currently in WA, police have a discretionary power to caution people
who possess small quantities of cannabis. There is no provision to
caution people growing cannabis.

There is also a drug court which gives addicts charged with serious
offences associated with their habits incentives to seek the treatment
they need.

They are given the choice of going through the normal court procedures
or pleading guilty and going to a drug court.

The Victorian Government also ruled out any move to decriminalise the
possession or use of marijuana.

The research institute's six-month study was conducted for a Victorian
parliamentary committee.