We at Legalise Cannabis Victoria are pleased to inform you that both the Government and the Opposition agreed to our motion to investigate the formalisation of cannabis cautioning last week.

This is an important step in the right direction and effectively means that if a person is found by Victoria Police with a small amount of cannabis for personal use, they should be issued with a simple caution and not charged or arrested.

You can read more about it here.

In September 2024, the Victorian Police Operational Manual (VPM) was updated to recommend members caution people for personal possession of cannabis, rather than arresting them. This was a significant change in cannabis policing and we welcome it.

However, the changes to the VPM were not known to Police, legal representatives or key stakeholders that we have engaged with.  And the arrests have continued. The data from Crime Statistics Agency shows that cautioning remains low at 37% despite the update to the VPM, and arrest rates for personal possession of small amounts of cannabis remain at 48%.

Cautioning is an important step towards a health-led response to drug use in Victoria, recognising that people are better supported through education, treatment and early intervention rather than criminal punishment.

Keeping people out of the criminal justice system for non-violent offences and possession of small amounts of cannabis make sense on all fronts – health, economic and social.

You can view Rachel’s sum-up on her motion on police cautions here.

We will continue engaging with our key stakeholders over the coming weeks to help build momentum around this issue.

In the meantime, if you have any questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.