Aussies Follow America's Roadmap

Cannabis News World

Jun 29

Aussies Follow America's Roadmap
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In 1926, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) became Australia's first jurisdiction to outlaw cannabis, following the 1925 Geneva Convention on Opium and Other Drugs. Fast forward seven war-on-drugs-soaked decades and the state began to undo the damage caused by prohibition, starting with decriminalization. Michael Moore, an independent member of the local Legislative Assembly, introduced the Simple Cannabis Offence Notice in 1992. This meant you'd be given a $100 fine if the police caught you with small amounts of weed, and if you paid the fine on time you would have no criminal record. So, for more than 30 years, cannabis was essentially decriminalized in Australia's seat of power. Next Gen Activation The Australian capital city of Canberra is the country's only municipality where recreational cannabis is legal. In February 2019, the gauntlet was picked up by the next generation of progressive policymakers; this time, it was the calling of Labour MP (member of parliament), Michael Pettersson. He introduced a private member's bill, the Personal Cannabis Use Bill. Following the state of Vermont's model, ACT passed legalization legislation in January 2020, instead of holding a popular vote. Thanks to this "new attitude" politician, residents can now possess 50 grams of dry plant material, 150 grams of wet plant material and cultivate two plants per person and up to four plants per household. Here's a fun fact: Like Washington DC, recreational cannabis is legal in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. Here's a not-so-fun fact: Because it remains federally illegal, like DC, there are no brick-and-mortar dispensaries to buy your bud. In fact, the Australian Capital Territory, where Canberra is located, is the only place in Australia to enjoy legalized recreational cannabis. So, what's the story? Is it merely a coincidence that cannabis is legal to consume yet unavailable to purchase in the capital…