SOFT CANNABIS LAW MAY BE SCRAPPED

CANBERRA'S notoriously soft marijuana laws could be scrapped, with a
move to make it an offence once again to possess the drug.

Cannabis users in the ACT have enjoyed seven years of freedom from
prosecution for having small amounts of the drug after it was
decriminalised in groundbreaking legislation.

Now Independent ACT politician, and former policeman Dave Rugendyke is
introducing a bill to toughen the laws, saying the decriminalisation
of the drug in the ACT has failed.

Under present laws, police in the ACT can only issue "offence notices"
with a $100 fine for cultivating up to five cannabis plants,
possessing up to 25g of the drug or being caught using it. No
convictions are recorded.

Mr Rugendyke said last night the soft laws created an impression that
cannabis was a legal drug and not harmful.

He said there were more cases of psychotic conditions caused by
cannabis use per capita in the ACT than in NSW.

"The harm minimisation policy has been around for 10 years," he
said.

"There is no evidence that it is working with cannabis in the
ACT."