CANNABIS TURN MISGUIDED, SAYS DRUG RESEARCHER

A MAJOR State Government turnaround on controversial new cannabis laws would
be misguided and wrong, according to a senior National Drug Research
Institute researcher.

Health Minister Jim McGinty's parliamentary secretary Sue Ellery said last
Friday the Government was considering an Opposition amendment to restrict
the number of cannabis infringement notices a person could receive before
conviction.

She admitted it would be a major policy shift.

The amendment, moved by former attorney-general Peter Foss, would cap the
number of notices to two in 10 years. The Opposition has consistently
claimed the Bill showed the Government was soft on drugs.

Ms Ellery said yesterday she was still in discussion with other parties in
relation to the policy change and was likely to make a decision when
Parliament resumed on September 9.

Greens (WA) drugs policy spokeswoman Chrissy Sharp said she was fighting to
dissuade the Government from criminalising recurrent cannabis use by
allowing the amendment. It would have no deterrent effect and it would be
more appropriate to offer an intervention program.

Institute senior researcher Simon Lenton said a cap would simply take the
law back to trying to use criminal law to deter cannabis use - a ploy which
had failed in the past. Dr Lenton said research had shown only 7 per cent
of convicted cannabis users were detected again in 10 years and 87 per cent
who were given a criminal conviction said it did not affect their use.

"Importantly, the threat of a criminal conviction can stop people seeking
treatment," he said. "Under the Goverment's Cannabis Control Bill even
repeat offenders have the option to choose education over another fine.

"We know giving them a criminal conviction is unlikely to affect their
cannabis use. But hearing about the harms associated with cannabis, having
an oppportunity to reflect on their own use and being exposed to options for
treatment are just the things that make a difference.

"The amendment, by maintaining the threat of criminal conviction, will be a
barrier to treatment and give a confusing message to cannabis users and the
community generally."

Opposition drug abuse strategy spokesman Simon O'Brien said last week the
Government turnaround was an important breakthrough on terrible new
proposals which relaxed laws governing the use of cannabis.