NSW GREENS CALL FOR CANNABIS CAFE TRIAL

The New South Wales Greens have put up a private member's bill calling for
a trial of cannabis cafes.

The Greens say the amendment bill tackles issues raised in the May 2000
drug summit, which the major parties have been afraid to touch.

The Upper House MP, Lee Rhiannon, says her bill aims to make cannabis use a
health issue, not a crime problem.

The key aspect of the proposed bill is the removal of all criminal
sanctions for the personal use and possession of cannabis.

It also calls for a trail of three cannabis cafes in New South Wales where
users can buy and consume the drug in a regulated environment.

Ms Rhiannon says the purpose would be to inform users at the cafe of the
drug's health implications.

"Because it is pushed underground it is illegal, people are not made aware
that it can be an impact on their health from using marijuana," she said.

The Greens deny the cafes would only encourage greater drug use.

The Carr Government has rejected calls for the trial.

Special Minister of State John Della Bosca says it is not appropriate given
the growing knowledge of the drug's harmful effects.

"The fact of the matter is that cannabis and the health threat posed by
cannabis is something the community's becoming increasingly aware of," he said.

"Balanced against that is the fact that we know an increasing number of
younger people are using cannabis, in some cases more regularly."

The Opposition leader, Kerry Chikarovski, says the cannabis cafe trial
proposal is unacceptable.

"What the Greens need to do is to look at the research, which show that
people who are chronic users of cannabis have many many associated health
problems," she said.

"We do not need to be encouraging that sort of behaviour in our community
and I am a bit curious to understand how the Greens think they could limit
people's use once they allowed it to be freely available."