“This bill actions sensible and meaningful reform to end the criminalisation of people who consume cannabis,” said Rachel Payne, Legalise Cannabis Victoria MP. “It’s time our governments reformed outdated laws, in line with community expectations.”On June 20, 2023, the Legalise Cannabis Party (LCP) introduced the Regulation of Personal Adult Use of Cannabis Bill 2023 bill in the Australian states of Victoria, Western Australia (WA), and New South Wales (NSW) (1). The LCP–founded in 1993, named the Help End Marijuana Prohibition (HEMP) Party in 2008, and renamed to LCP in 2021–introduced the bill as the first part of a planned three-stage process to legalize cannabis across Australia (1,2). “I look forward to debating this bill in the coming months, and to giving the people a real alternative to the failed and discredited war on drugs,” stated Dr. Brian Walker, the WA Legalise Cannabis MP and vice president of the federal party (1). The party also claims the bill will undercut the current illegal cannabis market, which is estimated to be worth $8 million each year (1).

Source: The Guardian June 28, 2023 05:04 UTC