Why could soon be legalised in Australia’s biggest state

Australia’s biggest state will launch a probe into laws surrounding the prohibition of cannabis, with one MP claiming the legalisation of weed could save the state billions of dollars.

An upper house inquiry would be the first of its kind to explore the social and economic impact of prohibiting cannabis, and the impact on young people, the Aboriginal, LGBTIQA+, regional, multicultural and lower socio-economic communities.

The review will also consider alternative approaches to current laws, which only allows cannabis to be legally used with a medicinal prescription.

Legalise Cannabis MP Jeremy Buckingham said the inquiry would look into the ‘true socio-economic cost and the opportunities of cannabis legalisation’.

Mr Buckingham, who will chair the inquiry, said NSW’s illegal cannabis market was being used as ‘rocket fuel’ for burgeoning organised crime group, making the argument that legalising the drug would stop revenue.

‘The inquiry will hear from experts in cannabis law reform, health, crime, economists and will look at jurisdictions like the ACT, USA, and Germany who have moved to a legalisation regime,’ he said.

‘Cannabis prohibition disproportionately impacts and criminalises regional, working class, LGBT and Aboriginal communities – it’s time to see why.’

On Wednesday night, the motion was passed in parliament with support from the government and the Greens.

While the Opposition opposed the inquiry, Liberal MP Scott Farlow acknowledged they didn’t have the numbers.

While NSW Treasurer and upper house MP Daniel Mookhey said the government welcomed the ‘opportunity to hear from experts,’ he said further policy considerations on cannabis would be examined at the drug summit slated for later this year.

He said the summit would engage with ‘health and medical experts, police, drug user organisations, families and other stakeholders to build consensus on the way this state deals with drug use and misuse’.

Greens spoleswoman for drug law reform and harm reduction Cate Faehrmann said it was ‘about time’ the government considered the regulatory framework of a ‘legal cannabis market’.

Experts will explore the use of cannabis at a drug summit scheduled later this year as authorities continue to grapple with the way the drug is consumed by users (pictured stock image)

‘It is about time, frankly, that we had a very far-reaching, thorough and detailed inquiry into cannabis – not just medicinal cannabis and not just into the very unfair laws around driving for medicinal cannabis patients,’ she said.

Uniting NSW and ACT’s general manager of advocacy and external relations Emma Maiden welcomed the inquiry.

‘Any opportunity to examine and change our unfair drug laws in NSW is always welcome as is any positive change to the way we approach drug use and dependency,’ she said.

‘We know that the system is unevenly applied, unfair, perpetuates stigma and increases harm. Further changes must be explored and adopted.

‘A Drug Summit at NSW parliament this year will be a critical part of this reform journey. This will be an important way of building multi-party support for reform in the NSW parliament and in the community.’