TOUGHEN UP DRUGS LAWS

THE NT Government and the states will be expected to toughen up their
drug laws in exchange for federal funding to overhaul treatment for
the mentally ill.

Parliamentary secretary to the Minister for Health, Christopher Pyne,
a critic of "weak" cannabis laws, said there was an expectation on the
states to crack down on marijuana use.

"I have no doubt that as part of the Commonwealth working together
with the states on mental health, we would expect them to address the
issues of cannabis and menatal health," he told the Sunday
Territorian.

Mental health is one of the key agenda items at this week's Council of
Australian Governments' (COAG) meeting in Canberra.

Mr Pyne said: "I can't say that (it will be a requirement of the COAG
agreement) because we haven't got to that point in the road yet."

"But Blind Freddy could tell you the Commonwealth would expect the
states to review their laws.

Prime Minister John Howard has called for a crackdown on cannabis use
because of its link to mental illness.

But his office played down suggestions federal funding under any COAG
agreement on mental health would be tied to tougher marijuana laws.

"It will only come up at COAG if the states raise it," a spokesman
said.

Mr Pyne said "weak" laws sent the wrong message to young people -
cannabis is not much worse than alcohol.

He said the link between marijuana use and mental illness was clearly
proven.

"Those states where cannabis use is decriminalised, we call for them
to recriminalise it," he said.

"In the states where decriminalisation has not occurred, there is
still universally a police approach which is quite soft towards
personal use of cannabis."

Beyondblue - a national, independent body working to address issues
associated with depression, anxiety and substance abuse disorders -
has backed calls to link drug abuse to mental health.

Chief executive Leonie Young said: "It is very important that we don't
have an isolated mental health strategy that doesn't incorporate the
national alcohol and drug strategies.

"It is very important that they are integrated."

The comments follow revelations NSW is to overhaul the cannabis laws -
making them the "toughest in the country".

Under the changes, cannabis smokers could be forced to take
counselling sessions on the links between marijuana and mental
disorders to avoid being charged on a first offence.

It will also see tougher penalties imposed on people caught growing
potent hydroponic marijuana - imposing heavy fines and jail sentences
of up to 10 years for growing as few as five hydroponic plants.