20 April 2026 | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Victorian advocates for cannabis law reform will mark 420 in Melbourne this year with a ‘high tea’ event. April 20 — known globally as 420 — is the international day for cannabis law reform.
Each year, advocates around the world use it to call for an end to criminalisation and to push for evidence‑based drug policy. This year in Victoria, the message remains urgent.
Event location provided only to registered guests
Legalise Cannabis MP David Ettershank said in previous years, there had been cannabis law reform protests in Flagstaff Garden, but attendees had been harassed by police, so this year’s event would be at a secret location in Melbourne’s West.
“It’s very sad that this year’s 420 is kind of ‘invitation only’, but we’ve had to do that given 100 police officers and sniffer dogs intimidated the crowd at previous 420 events in Flagstaff Gardens,” Mr Ettershank said.
“Remember that most attendees have prescriptions for medicinal cannabis, and other attendees are not cannabis consumers but advocates for law change. People who are not breaking the law have been harassed by around 100 police officers just for attending a picnic. That’s outrageous.”
“Over 60,000 Australians continue to be arrested on cannabis charges every year, overwhelmingly for personal possession rather than trafficking. This underscores the urgent need for cannabis law reform.”
“Arresting people for cannabis possession — what a waste of police and court resources when police could instead be targeting assaults, home invasions and organised crime.
“And still state governments are unwavering in their refusal to decriminalise cannabis — last year, both the NSW and Victorian state governments rejected recommendations from parliamentary inquiries to decriminalise.
“The most likely age group to use cannabis is 18 to 24 years, and an arrest can impact an individual’s future employment and housing prospects. 80 per cent of Australians support decriminalising, according to the National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS). Governments need to listen to the people.”
TIMELINE FOR CANNABIS ADVOCACY SINCE THE 2022 VICTORIA ELECTION
2022:
Victorians elected two Legalise Cannabis MPs to the Upper House—David Ettershank and Rachel Payne. That same year: 5,474 cannabis possession charges were proven in Victoria. Arrests disproportionately affected:
- young people
- First Nations people
- LGBTQIA+ communities
- people from CALD and low‑income backgrounds
2023:
Legalise Cannabis introduced the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Amendment (Regulation of Personal Adult Use of Cannabis) Bill which would:
- decriminalise small amounts of cannabis
- allow adults to grow up to six plants
- permit private adult use and gifting
- keep cannabis inaccessible to people under 18
Labor and Coalition MPs voted it down.
2024:
Parliament’s Legal and Social Issues Committee sought the expert advice of health professionals, legal experts, addiction experts, trade unions, and individuals. The committee:
The evidence was clear. In the ACT:
- cannabis use stayed stable
- cannabis arrests virtually disappeared
- police gained time to focus on serious crime
2025:
The committee handed down its final report in March, recommending:
- treating cannabis as a public health issue
- decriminalising personal use and small‑scale cultivation
- adopting a model similar to the ACT
In October, the Allan government rejected the recommendation to decriminalise for small amounts of cannabis and the possession of six plants, even though four ALP MPs were on the committee and had supported the committee’s recommendations. A Victorian government Spokesperson said the state would continue to monitor the research.
“Following consideration of the Committee’s report, there remain no plans to change laws regarding personal use or possession of cannabis at this time — however, the government will continue to monitor and consider emerging evidence. The Victorian government will continue to work to reduce harm associated with cannabis through coordinated effort and evidence-based action.”
Legalise Cannabis Victoria continues to fight for cannabis law reform
Legalise Cannabis Victoria continues to push for change. This includes ending discrimination against people who use prescribed medicinal cannabis.
Our proposed amendment to the Equal Opportunity Act would have:
- protected people from discrimination based on lawful medical treatment
- aligned with recommendations from the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission
This amendment was recommended by the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission in their submission to the 2024 Inquiry into Workplace Drug Testing—an endorsement unanimously supported by all parties on the parliamentary inquiry.
Our amendment reflected this recommendation. The Act already bans discrimination based on age, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or marital status. We sought only to extend these protections to people accessing medical treatment or taking a prescribed medication; yet both the government and the opposition refused to support our amendment.
The time for change is now
Most Australian governments still criminalise cannabis.
Enforcing prohibition costs around $2.1 billion each year. Meanwhile, organised crime controls a recreational cannabis market worth over $5 billion.
Only the ACT and South Australia take a different approach.
The evidence is clear. The community is ready. Now, governments need to catch up.
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