20th of March 2024, 9:52am
Legislative Council of Victoria | Spring Street, Melbourne
David ETTERSHANK (Western Metropolitan):
It is always a treat to have new research from the Penington Institute arrive in my inbox, and the subject line, pithily titled ‘Cannabis reform: it’s time for change’, certainly piqued my interest.
Penington’s new research looks at community views on cannabis regulation. To no-one’s surprise, the findings reveal that community attitudes towards the regulation of cannabis are extremely favourable: 54 per cent of Victorians are rallying behind the introduction of a regulated cannabis market for adult use, nearly twice the number of people who currently support our failed criminalisation approach.
Coming hot on the heels of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare household drug survey, the Penington research confirms that the tide is turning. Victorians know that our current drug laws are not only failing but actually causing harm.
People want to see regulation of cannabis in order to stem the flow of profits to organised crime, protect consumers from dangerous products, prioritise community safety and wellbeing and stop the practice of arresting 9000 Victorians every year.
It is time for our lawmakers to get on with the job of reforming our cannabis laws, which are not fit for purpose and are clearly out of step with what most Victorians want.
[Ends]
