PLAN TO RELAX LAWS ON CANNABIS

A proposal to remove jail terms for personal use of cannabis was
passed by the NSW Drug Summit last night.

The summit also backed a proposal to decriminalise the offence of
self-administration of an illegal substance.

State Attorney-General Jeff Shaw said the cannabis proposal was not to
decriminalise cannabis, rather to remove jail terms for personal use
and the introduction of a cautioning system similar to that used in
Victoria.

``We have to take the new ideas from this summit and have the courage
to test them out in the real world,'' Mr Shaw said.

The proposal will remove jail terms for possession and cultivation of
small amounts of cannabis as well as possession and sale of equipment
like water bongs.

Mr Shaw said it would help keep young people out of the criminal
justice system.