Greens want to legalise Marijuana in Australia
Today, the Greens political party in Australia, announced that they will be calling for full Cannabis legalisation in Australia. This is the first political party with current seats in parliament to announce this policy towards legal marijuana.
The policy would be more of a government controlled program rather than the market-driven platforms of the US. The introduction of legal cannabis would put Australia in line with nine US states, Canada and Spain in legalising marijuana for all adults.
So what are the issues with legalising pot?
There are many arguments for and against the legalisation of marijuana for recreational use. Many medical and social issues have been identified and raised in those jurisdictions where cannabis is already legal. From drug-driving issues to increases in young people being admitted to hospital for over consuming edible marijuana, there are many issues to legalising marijuana. The current legal age in Australia for drinking is 18 years. The human brain is still developing at this age, so suggestions have been put forward to increase a legal marijuana age to 21?
The cost of policing current cannabis laws is extremely prohibitive and cannabis use is rife throughout the Australian population with estimates of approximately 7 million people who currently partake in cannabis to some degree.
A costing by the Parliamentary Budget Office for independent senator David Leyonhjelm found the budget would be boosted by $259 million over the 2015-16 forward estimates if Australia legalised cannabis, due to a reduction in law enforcement costs and an increase in GST takings. Source
Colorado, one US state where cannabis is currently legal, earned more than $260 million in tax revenue in 2016 after it sold more than $1.7 billion worth of marijuana.
Current cannabis laws in Australia hasn't stopped people growing and using it, has placed a huge strain on policing it and has made some criminals extremely rich. Would it not be better to legalise cannabis and then use the revenue raised from its sale to focus on the health implications, similar to what currently happens with alcohol. Police resources could then also be redirected to the higher-end drugs that are causing major issues around the country, particularly the Ice epidemic that is gripping some communities.
This policy shift is an interesting one and, at the very least, will get the discussion around legalisation happening in Australia.
Thanks for reading.
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