DOPE SMOKING TO BE DECRIMINALISED

The Health Minister, Mr John Thwaites, said yesterday the Government
would decriminalise marijuana for personal use in small quantities.
However, safe injecting houses and primary care facilities for drug
users would be the Government's priority.

"Our policy that we took to the election supports decriminalisation.
However, it is not part of our priorities for immediate
implementation," Mr Thwaites said.

"We believe because of deaths from heroin overdose that the Government
has to address that first."

The Labor's drug policy has a strong harm minimisation and prevention
focus. It comprises measures to prevent drug abuse at schools,
preventing deaths from overdose including safe injecting trial,
emphasising treatment and rehabilitation for users including
decriminalising use and possession of small amounts of marijuana and
improved policing of the drug trade.

The policy would also ban the smoking of marijuana in public, which
would be subject to a fine of up to $100.

The announcement was welcomed by Professor David Penington, who headed
the Kennett Government's Drug Advisory Council, which recommended
decriminalisation of marijuana.

A spokesman for Victoria Police said yesterday drugs policy was a
decision for the State Government and the police's role was to enforce
the law, whatever it was.