The ABC Australia…
The ACT is set to become the first Australian jurisdiction to decriminalise small amounts of commonly used illicit drugs, such as ice, heroin, cocaine and speed.
Key points:
- Users of small amounts of illegal drugs would be fined rather than charged under the proposed law
- Police would continue to target dealers and try to end the supply of harmful drugs
- The ACT also legalised the personal use of cannabis in 2019
Under a proposed law that the government has now endorsed, police would continue to target dealers and try to disrupt Canberra’s drug trade.
However, people found with amounts considered to be “personal possession” — smaller than trafficable quantities — would be subject to fines rather than criminal charges.
The decision follows the recommendations of a Legislative Assembly inquiry into the proposal, which was tabled by Labor backbencher Michael Pettersson last year.
The government indicated today it would support the bill but propose several amendments to it, including adjusting the list of drugs to be affected.
The ACT was also the first — and remains the only — state or territory to legalise the personal use of cannabis, another of Mr Pettersson’s bills.
Read full article.
