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“Every summer festival season,we know people take drugs,” Greens drug harm-reduction spokesman Aiv Puglielli said. “If Labor backs our pilot and it saves even one life next summer,it will be worth it.”
Georgie Purcell,from the Animal Justice Party,said pill testing would not encourage drug use but it would make it safer for those who used drugs.
“Growing up and experimenting should not be a death sentence,” Purcell said.
Legalise Cannabis MP Rachel Payne said the “just say no” approach had failed and deaths at major music festivals could be prevented.
Her Legalise Cannabis party had a win on Wednesday when Stitt revealed the government was open to consulting on the possibility of allowing personal use of cannabis,a significant shift in the state’s approach to drug law. Stitt said the government was unable to support the bill “at this time”.
“However,the government is amenable to ongoing discussions with the Legalise Cannabis Victoria party on this topic and a process that will take the advice of experts and engage with the community. And I’m looking forward to continuing those important discussions,” Stitt told the parliament.
The Age has asked the government to clarify what form the engagement would take.
Adults could legally possess small quantities for personal use and grow up to six plants under the Legalise Cannabis proposal,the first of three bills the party has planned towards full regulation.
Cannabis could be given as a gift but not sold under the initial plan. Driving while impaired,supplying to children and taking the drug in public would remain crimes.
Legalise Cannabis argues the state wastes resources enforcing the law and could invest in health and education instead,while raising revenue by taxing the drug if it was sold in a legal market.
Payne said criminalising adults who consumed cannabis often led to poorer outcomes for vulnerable people.
“I want the Victorian premier to be brave,” Payne said.
Libertarian MP David Limbrick also gave a fiery speech supporting bold drug reform and said the bill did not go far enough.
Under former premier Daniel Andrews,Laboropposed any changes to drug laws involving cannabis.
A two-year parliamentary inquiry in Victoria,spearheaded by influential former Reason Party MP Fiona Patten,in 2021 recommended the government “investigate the impacts of legalising cannabis for adult personal use”. It was set to recommend legalisation but waswatered down by Labor MPs.
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The recreational use of cannabis is illegal in most of Australia,although minor offences have been decriminalised and replaced with fines in South Australia,the ACT and Northern Territory.