Moves to reform marijuana laws
By Frank Noakes
Use of marijuana is so widespread in Australia that it represents civil disobedience on a mass scale. So it was only a matter of time before it returned to the political agenda.
An advertisement in the October 30 Australian headed "Decriminalisation of marijuana — a call for action" heralds a renewed push to reform Australia's archaic drug laws.
Signed by more than 60 prominent people, the ad called for marijuana to be decriminalised forthwith, citing the contempt for existing law, the promotion of crime and the "infinitesimal" social costs of marijuana compared with alcohol and tobacco.
In a related move, the Parliamentary Group for Drug Law Reform is planning to launch a Charter for Drug Law Reform on November 26. It seeks to encourage a "more rational, tolerant, non-judgmental" approach and unequivocally opposes prohibition.
Focusing on escalation of the illicit drug trade, its domination by organised crime and the increase in crime against people and property, the charter argues that the current policy promotes corruption and erodes civil liberties.
The group, drawn from all parliamentary parties, has a short-term goal of abolition of criminal sanctions for the personal use of drugs.
The Australian Democrats already have a policy legalising the possession of any drug designated for personal use, up to defined limits. Democrat Senator Sid Spindler, a member of the reform group, told Green Left Weekly that his party would "fully legalise" the personal use of marijuana.
PGDLR can be contacted at GPO Box 1020, Canberra ACT 2601.