Canberra (ACT) legalises marijuana for personal use, first Australian state or territory to do so

Australian parliament has just passed a law that legalises the personal use of marijuana in the Australian Capital Territory.

The new law allows for cultivation, possession and use of small amounts of cannabis, that is, up to 50 grams of dry cannabis per person (or 150 grams of wet cannabis), and a maximum of four plants per household.

But… a police officer in the ACT will retain the power to charge anyone with cannabis if he/she wished to go by Commonwealth law.

The law will come into effect from January 31, 2020 but conflicts with Commonwealth laws that still prohibit the possession of cannabis. A police officer in the ACT, therefore, will retain the power to charge anyone with cannabis if he/she wished to go by Commonwealth law.

Chief Police Officer Ray Johnson said his force would focus less on consumers of cannabis, and more on organised crime pushing vast quantities.

Amendments had been suggested by the Greens party to allow the cultivation of hydroponic cannabis but these were voted down, along with amendments to allow cannabis cultivation for medicinal purposes.

Still, if you’re in the ACT, there’s good reason to light up and celebrate!

Antonino Tati