11 July 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Legalise Cannabis MP David Ettershank said regulating cannabis in Victoria would deliver billions in government revenue, free up police and court resources and direct funds towards research on safe levels of consumption.
“I welcome research from the Penington Institute, which showed cannabis regulation is a $10 billion economic opportunity for Victoria,” Mr Ettershank said.
“Sapere Research Group, commissioned by Penington Institute, reveals a regulated adult-use cannabis market would generate nearly $2 billion in new government revenue through cannabis-specific fees and increased revenue from payroll tax.
“Last year, we asked the state’s Parliamentary Budget Office to do costings for regulating cannabis, and it found also found the Victorian government would raise more than $2 billion in 10 years if it followed Canada’s lead.
“We have had cannabis prohibition for 95 years in Victoria, and we know that it doesn’t work. Going on the figures from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), about 700,000 Victorians consumed illicit cannabis over the past year.
“Criminalising cannabis is nonsensical; the only one benefiting from prohibition in Victoria is organised crime. Law enforcement related to cannabis alone costs Australia $1.7 billion annually, according to past research from the Penington Institute.
“The Legalise Cannabis Party has a staged approach to legalising which begins with allowing adult Victorians to possess a few plants – this is already happening in the Australian Capital Territory.”
Mr Ettershank said Legalise Cannabis Victoria had done endless research looking at cannabis regulatory models around the world, from Germany and the US to the Australian Capital Territory
“Right now, we are calling on the Allan government to look at the ACT, which decriminalised personal use of cannabis in 2020 with no negative outcomes in terms of hospital admissions or car accidents. The main outcome was that cannabis-related arrests plummeted. People were no longer needlessly dragged before the courts,” he said.
“In March, a new Victorian parliamentary report on personal possession came out. Based on a committee inquiry, the report recommended decriminalising the possession of small amounts of cannabis in Victoria. We are waiting for the Allan government to respond.
“If we eventually legalise cannabis, we can also invest the duties raised sales towards research into safe levels of consumption, and the health benefits and risks of consuming this remarkable plant.
“Let’s face the truth, prohibition is not stopping anyone from consuming.”
[ENDS]
