The US state of Maryland made history when it legalised cannabis in a constitutional referendum on July 1, last year. The state took a further step on June 17, pardoning 175,000 cannabis convictions, reports Malik Miah.
Cannabis (marijuana)
Suzanne James speaks with Greens Senator David Shoebridge about war crimes, whistleblowers and weed.
While Labor Premier Chris Minns has announced a new depenalisation scheme, he has pulled back from Labor's bolder decriminalisation ideas floated before the election. Paul Gregoire reports.
Drug decriminalisation laws agreed by the Labor-Greens ACT government are now in effect. But NSW Premier is backtracking from promises he made in opposition. Paul Gregoire reports.
As killings continue in Sydney streets, Greens MLC Cate Faehrmann has stepped up her call for the legal regulation of cocaine. Paul Gregoire reports.
Suzanne James looks at the latest in a long line of attempts to once again legalise the personal use of marijuana.
The Australian Lawyers Alliance has renewed calls to decriminalise cannabis use, saying Victorian Labor must shift away from law enforcement and punishment. Kerry Smith reports.
A two-year Victorian state parliament inquiry into the use of cannabis has fallen short of recommending legalisation. Arie Huybregts reports.
The Narcotic Drugs Amendment Act 2016 came into effect on October 30, allowing people to apply for a licence to cultivate cannabis for their own medical needs, to manufacture cannabis products for sale for medicinal purposes, or to conduct related research.
The Act now gives patients access to a safe, reliable and legal source of cannabis for medicinal use. Previously patients had to import medicinal cannabis products.
Victoria has become the first state in Australia to legalise the use of medicinal cannabis.
Children with severe epilepsy will be the first to access the drug in 2017, Victoria's Health Minister Jill Hennessy said, after the Access to Medicinal Cannabis Bill 2015 passed parliament.
The use of the drug ice in Australia is said to be at “epidemic'' levels. There is nothing new in this claim for both Australia and much of the rest of the world.
Epidemics have accompanied the use and misuse of stimulants since the late-19th century. John Rainford traces that history in the final part of this three-part series.
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The rise in the use of crystal methamphetamine, or ice, shows the self-defeating mechanism of drug prohibition.