Pubdate: Mon, 27 May 2002
Source: West Australian (Australia)
Copyright: 2002 West Australian Newspapers Limited
Contact:  http://www.thewest.com.au
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/495
Authors: Grant Taylor and Ben Harvey
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

PEOPLE who grow or possess small amounts of cannabis for personal use will 
not be treated as criminals under new laws proposed by the State Government.

Instead, recreational users caught with two plants will be fined $200. 
Users with less than 30g of the drug will be fined up to $150.

The new laws stop short of full decriminalisation, with police retaining 
the discretion to charge people they believe are flouting the law.

Health Minister Bob Kucera yesterday outlined the Gallop Government's plans 
to reform cannabis laws in line with recommendations from last year's 
Community Drug Summit.

Cabinet has agreed to all but one of the recommendations of the working 
party on drug law reform.

Opposition Leader Colin Barnett said the Government was sending a message 
to children that it was acceptable to grow and use cannabis.

"Geoff Gallop is saying a little bit of cannabis is OK," he said. "It is 
not OK. If he proceeds down this path, this will be the defining issue on 
which we will fight the next election."

Mr Kucera denied the accusations, saying new laws would stop the situation 
where young people caught experimenting ended up with a criminal record.

"Often for the sake of one moment of stupidity they can wreck their entire 
lives," he said. "So we have got to have, as a Government and a community, 
the capacity to have some compassion in terms of those people."

Criminal Lawyers Association president John Prior, who helped design laws 
which remove cannabis from the Misuse of Drugs Act, said fines would be 
harsher under the new regime.

Minor cannabis offenders who went before the courts were fined as little as 
$50, he said.

"Some magistrates view possession of cannabis more harshly than others," he 
said. "This system will at least make sure penalties are in line with each 
other."

Under proposed legislation, to be introduced into Parliament before the end 
of the year, people caught with small amounts of cannabis will have the 
option to attend drug education in lieu of a fine.

Possessing less than 15g of cannabis will attract a fine of $100. Amounts 
between 15g and 30g will result in a $150 fine. Growing two plants will 
attract a $200 penalty.

But Cabinet has insisted police charge anyone caught growing plants 
hydroponically - the only change made to the working party's recommendations.

Juveniles are not covered by the laws.

The Government plans to take a tougher line on dealers - lowering the 
number of plants a person can grow from 25 to 10 before they are 
automatically considered a dealer.
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MAP posted-by: Alex