Pubdate: Thu, 03 Feb 2005
Source: West Australian (Australia)
Copyright: 2005 West Australian Newspapers Limited
Contact:  http://www.thewest.com.au
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/495
Author: Cathy O'Leary, Kim MacDonald and Ben Ruse
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)

COALITION'S CANNABIS POLICY TOO SOFT: AMA

The coalition plan to crack down on small-time cannabis users does not go 
far enough and it should adopt zero tolerance, says the WA branch of the 
Australian Medical Association.

It said the Opposition's wind-back on cannabis law reforms should have been 
tougher.

But it was still better than the State Government's attempt to rein in drug 
users.

AMA State president Paul Skerritt said even first-time users should be 
subject to a strict treatment regime and he was disappointed the policy did 
not contain more funding for education programs.

"We want a sentencing policy which corrects the problem, and that's not 
necessarily jail time but could be through strict court-imposed treatment 
regimes," Dr Skerritt said.

Under the coalition policy announced yesterday, first-time offenders with 
less than 10g of the drug would be cautioned, with second-time offenders 
and all cultivators to face court.

The coalition would repeal existing legislation which imposes only fines or 
education seminars on those who possess less than 30g of marijuana or who 
grow up to two non-hydroponic plants.

AMA Federal president Bill Glasson said he supported the decriminalistion 
of cannabis for personal use and did not believe that criinal sanctions 
were the right approach.

Dr Glasson said that there was no safe level of use for cannabis but he 
believed that education was the best way to get users off the drug.

"We have examined international research and what has been shown is that 
criminal sanctions do not lead to rehabilitation and may, in fact, cause 
the reverse," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Beth