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A.C.T. Australia legalises personal use

C

Cone Head

Member
The Australian Capital Territory has become the first jurisdiction in Australia to legalise recreational cannabis. It is still illegal under federal law though so will be a bit of a test as to how it works in reality. Great start though, hopefully other Australian sates can follow suite.

ACT legalises personal cannabis use, becoming first Australian jurisdiction to do so


The ACT has become the first Australian jurisdiction to legalise the possession, use and cultivation of small amounts of cannabis.

The laws passed the ACT Legislative Assembly this afternoon, allowing possession of up to 50 grams per person and a maximum of four plants per household.

They will come into effect from January 31, 2020.

The legislation conflicts with Commonwealth laws prohibiting the possession of cannabis.

And cannabis users have been warned there are still serious legal risks, including potential jail time, when growing or smoking cannabis in the ACT.

Cannabis remains a prohibited substance under Commonwealth law, and police officers in the ACT will retain the power to arrest and charge anyone with cannabis under those laws.

It will also be possible for the Commonwealth to overrule the ACT, and seek to have the laws struck out as inconsistent with its own legislation.

So what is allowed, and what isn't?

Any adult in the ACT will be able to grow two cannabis plants per person, with a maximum of four per household.

They will also be allowed to be in possession of up to 50 grams of dry cannabis, or 150 grams of wet cannabis.

Cultivating cannabis through a Canberra winter will not be easy though, as any Canberra gardener can attest.

Amendments suggested by the Greens to allow the cultivation of hydroponic cannabis were voted down, along with amendments providing greater allowances to those growing cannabis for medicinal purposes.

There also remain plenty of rules around when and where cannabis can be consumed.

It cannot be consumed in public, or anywhere near children, and will also have to be stored somewhere inaccessible to children.

Cannabis plants will have to be grown somewhere not accessible by the public, such as a nature strip or community garden.
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https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09...on-to-legalise-personal-cannabis-use/11530104
 
Gypsy Nirvana

Gypsy Nirvana

Recalcitrant Reprobate -
Administrator
Veteran
Good News - lets hope the other states start getting sensible about allowing people to grow and toke their own 'erb -
 
Frosty Nuggets

Frosty Nuggets

Well-known member
ICMag Donor
That is great news, now if only the other states will get on board. Typical that it is the politicians state that legalizes it.:woohoo:
 
GOT_BUD?

GOT_BUD?

Weed is a gateway to gardening
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Congrats! Wish my state would pull it's head out of it's ass.
 
C

Cone Head

Member
Yep, I see this as a start. The laws are not perfect. The police in A.C.T. can still technically charge people under commonwealth law but it is not their jurisdiction to do so. I heard on a report today that the ACT police will be following these laws unless there are some extenuating circumstances involved. There are no retail provisions; selling and distributing will be illegal. Only homegrown is legal under these laws.

You may also note that artificially grown cannabis will not be legal (anything hydroponic or under artificial light) Only sun grown/soil grown will be legal.

It's a start. Hopefully other states follow as Gypsy Said.
 
JKD

JKD

Well-known member
Veteran
While it is an encouraging move forward I worry that the restrictions will make compliance difficult and unlikely. In that case it would allow opponents of legalization to claim that it doesn't work and drive a move back to illegality.

Two plants, sun and soil with no photo-period restriction (nothing 'artificial' as I understand it) with a 50 gram limit. 50 grams of cannabis a year? Or 100g max per household? If there is no genuine legal competitor to the black market I am dubious as to how this will succeed. Is it meant to?
 
C

Cone Head

Member
JKD said:
While it is an encouraging move forward I worry that the restrictions will make compliance difficult and unlikely. In that case it would allow opponents of legalization to claim that it doesn't work and drive a move back to illegality.

Two plants, sun and soil with no photo-period restriction (nothing 'artificial' as I understand it) with a 50 gram limit. 50 grams of cannabis a year? Or 100g max per household? If there is no genuine legal competitor to the black market I am dubious as to how this will succeed. Is it meant to?
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The purpose of this law is only to take away legal consequences for personal use and possession. There was talk earlier in the year of retail allowances etc but I think they calculated it wouldn't pass like that. It's a baby step.

It has already had ramifications though. Tammy Franks from The South Australian Greens said today that she is going to put forward a bill to legalise cannabis to the South Australian parliament. This will be one to watch as the state of South Australia was the first state to decriminalise cannabis in 1987. They decriminalised possession of up to 50g in public and 500g at home and the cultivation of up to 10 plants on private porperty. The penalty was a $150 on the spot fine and seizure of the cannabis.

Unfortunately, in the early 2000's, conservative governments went all tough on law and order and cracked down on cultivation in SA. Now you can only grow 1 plant outdoors, no indoor allowed. It's still only a small fine for possession of up to 500g in your home though.

This bill is to legalise it. No idea in what way yet but as you can see above, the decriminalised amounts in SA are not too shabby. The problem in SA now will be that we currently have a conservative government in power that is very "anti-drug". High chance it won't pass in other words but fingers crossed, you never know.
 
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C

Cone Head

Member
Also, something to remember. Once the foot is in the door (legality), further amendments can be made to parliament to make the laws more sensible.
 
Night4wings20

Night4wings20

Active member
Once Pandora's box is open it's mighty hard to close, hopefully this is the case with this small but (imo) important step for us down under and let's all hope nothing is sinister behind it (like making a list of known growers to lock up with the illusion of legalization).


Time will tell :)
 
Gry

Gry

Well-known member
Very best of wishes for continuing positive outcomes.
Light 'em if you got one.
 
ozzieAI

ozzieAI

Well-known member
Veteran
as mentioned it is a positive first step, it's pity that doesn't make any sense regarding plant count and weight in possession...

hoping for brighter future....
 
C

Cone Head

Member
BongFu said:
No hydro? Sheesh, why would they bother?
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Yeah this a myth in Australia that is very prevalent that hydro= super mutant psychosis bud. Its not true. The most powerful mind bending weed I've ever smoked was outdoor.

Australia doesn't need hydro anyway, most of the country is washed in powerful sun for much of the year. The northern half of the country is tropical. I can't wait for Norther Territory to legalise. Darwin, the capital city, is only 12 degrees south of the equator. They can grow the long flowering equatorial strains year round up there :dance013:
 
D

Del_9_THC

Member
Cone Head said:
The Australian Capital Territory has become the first jurisdiction in Australia to legalise recreational cannabis. It is still illegal under federal law though so will be a bit of a test as to how it works in reality. Great start though, hopefully other Australian sates can follow suite.



https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09...on-to-legalise-personal-cannabis-use/11530104 .......

..
Click to expand...

Canada has fully legalised cannabis at the federal level, so I am not sure what the "commonwealth" issue has to do with it? Unless that refers to "the Commonwealth of Australia", as I guess it must.

The beauty of common law (of which virtually all English speaking countries, except
Scotland uses) is that it makes law, in one way, by precedent or case law. So, since one Oz state has legalised cannabis, this has set precedence, so it would open the way for the whole of Australia to do likewise.

If one state does it, so will another, until all the dominoes fall. Soon, the Aussie federal government will come to its senses and will realise that "resistance is futile".

Good luck!
 
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B

BongFu

Member
Cone Head said:
Yeah this a myth in Australia that is very prevalent that hydro= super mutant psychosis bud. Its not true. The most powerful mind bending weed I've ever smoked was outdoor.

Australia doesn't need hydro anyway, most of the country is washed in powerful sun for much of the year. The northern half of the country is tropical. I can't wait for Norther Territory to legalise. Darwin, the capital city, is only 12 degrees south of the equator. They can grow the long flowering equatorial strains year round up there :dance013:
Click to expand...

Yeah sure outdoor is potent but heres the thing outdoor is also wide open to rippers. So these laws still leave a lot of space for a thriving black market with high prices for cannabis. Crews of rippers jump fence after fence probably in some cases bringing violence to the table then they sell your shit back to you for what 250 an oz? For those lucky enough not to be ripped they harvest a couple of kg or more and get pinged by the cops. Great laws. Good luck with them.
 
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