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Liberals Say No To Dope
Smoke cannabis and face jail, Kerin vows
Greg Kelton | The Advertiser | 03/03/2006

POSSESSING or growing any amount of cannabis would again become a criminal offence, resulting in court appearances and possible jail under a tough new Opposition policy.

Revealing the policy to The Advertiser yesterday, Opposition Leader Rob Kerin said the current policy of issuing expiation notices was not working.

Mr Kerin said that since 1987, when personal use of marijuana was decriminalised, the on-the-spot fee had never been increased, adding: "Adelaide has the unenviable title of the cannabis capital of Australia."

Possession of less than 25g of cannabis attracts a $50 expiation fee, but individuals do not have to appear in court.

Mr Kerin, who announced the policy with the party's legal affairs spokesman Robert Lawson, said the fee had never been increased and yet the fee for using tobacco in the wrong place was higher.

"And the fee for littering is even higher again," he said.

Mr Kerin said the "derisory" fee of $50 had sent the wrong message.

"It has encouraged the development of a drug culture which, in turn, has led to increasing use of even more dangerous illicit drugs," he said.

Drug use is emerging as a significant election issue, with calls for more spending on mental health and attempts by lobby groups to link increased mental illness to cannabis use.

In January, Attorney-General Michael Atkinson said the Government had no plans to change the laws, but had considerably strengthened its stance against drug use over the past four years.

He said it had been made a criminal offence to grow even one plant hydroponically and there would now be testing and fines for those caught driving while under the influence of drugs.

The personal use of cannabis was decriminalised in SA in 1988 by the then Bannon Labor government because of concerns small-time users were clogging the courts and receiving criminal records.

Mr Kerin said scientific studies had established increasingly strong links between marijuana use and psychotic episodes and other severe mental disorders.

"Even the Victorian, Queensland and NSW Labor governments have warned that it should not be viewed as a soft drug," he said.

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dedbr

have so many people piled on this wagon.... that the wheel's are gonna fall off.

I thought reefer madness was just a joke, or are we going to start the whole propaganda campaign all over again?Ded

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