Pubdate: Sat, 19 Apr 2003
Source: West Australian (Australia)
Copyright: 2003 West Australian Newspapers Limited
Contact:  http://www.thewest.com.au
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/495
Author: Ben Harvey
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

MPS DOPE USE VINDICATES NEW LAW: KUCERA

More than a quarter of WA parliamentarians who responded to a survey on 
cannabis use admitted they have tried the drug.

Of the 58 MPs who replied to a poll by The West Australian, 16 said they 
had smoked cannabis.

Two of WA's 91 politicians said they currently smoked the drug and one said 
he had eaten cake made using cannabis in the past year.

Health Minister Bob Kucera, who introduced the Cannabis Control Bill 2003 
into State Parliament, said the survey's results vindicated the 
Government's decriminalisation policy.

Under Labor's laws, which passed through the Legislative Assembly on 
Thursday morning after an all-night sitting, people who grow or possess 
small amounts of cannabis will not be treated as criminals.

"The poll highlights the reality of cannabis use in the community," Mr 
Kucera said.

"I think the legislation reflects that reality and that is why it was 
designed the way it was.

"These people, had they been caught, would have been given a criminal 
conviction and chances are they would not be members of Parliament today." 
Mr Kucera, who said he had never smoked cannabis, was not surprised by the 
results of the poll because they were in line with cannabis use in the 
wider community.

Up to 30 per cent of people smoked cannabis at some stage, Mr Kucera said.

Of the 33 MPs who did not respond to the poll, most said they believed it 
was inappropriate to answer because it was a private question.

Nine of the 16 who admitted trying cannabis wanted to remain anonymous.

Of the 42 MPs who said they had never smoked cannabis, 18 did not want to 
be identified.

Treasurer Eric Ripper, Education Minister Alan Carpenter and Opposition 
Health Minister Mike Board previously admitted they had smoked the drug. 
For the first time, Independent MLA Larry Graham, One Nation MPs Frank 
Hough and John Fischer, Labor MLA John Hyde and Opposition drug abuse 
spokesman Simon O'Brien admitted they had smoked cannabis.

Premier Geoff Gallop refused to comment and while Opposition Leader Colin 
Barnett was happy to respond to the poll, he did not want his response printed.

The Bill passed through the Lower House without amendment, despite the 
Opposition objecting to each part of the Bill, including its title.

It was passed by the Legislative Assembly just after 7am on Thursday, after 
MPs had spent more than 30 sitting hours debating it.

The Bill will now be sent to the Legislative Council.

Under the new laws, recreational users caught with two plants will be fined 
$200 and users with less than 30g of the drug will be fined up to $150.

The Government has argued that experimentation with cannabis should not 
lead to someone getting a criminal conviction.

The Opposition has attacked the laws as an endorsement of drug use.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager