Voters have something to remember when they’re casting their ballot in the federal election.
Cannabis consumers can send a clear message to policy-makers in government about their disappointment with prohibition. Scarce law enforcement resources will be better used to ensure public safety while reducing corrections and court costs.
State Governments would acquire significant new sources of revenue from regulating sales. A regulated market will improve the budget and our Personal Health Plan will give you the freedom of choice to grow your own supply.
No evidence shows prescription drugs are safer for drivers than cannabis. There is plenty of evidence that those who use cannabis on prescription reduce use of prescription drugs, particularly opioids. In other words, there is a strong argument that drivers with merely detectable levels are likely to be less affected than if driving on prescription drugs.
Voters know our jails are crowded and our courts full.
Many consumers feel threatened by the consequences of breaking the law. Some use for medical, personal or both purposes and most of them struggle to pay for a lawful supply of medicine, often resorting to the black market or they simply don’t qualify for medicine under the current regime.
The arrest rates for Cannabis are higher than ever even though legal prescriptions are soaring and people now have legal weed and get busted for driving and losing their licence for a minuscule amount of Cannabis in their saliva, possibly from using it days before.
Absolutely nothing to do with impaired driving.
We clearly need more reliable ways of identifying cannabis-impairment on the roads and the workplace. This is a particularly pressing problem for the rapidly increasing number of patients in Australia who are using legal medicinal cannabis yet are prohibited from driving.
The increase in legal recreational use of cannabis across multiple jurisdictions worldwide is also making the need for reform of cannabis-driving laws more urgent. The evidence is in truckloads now from overseas jurisdictions which have had legal cannabis for decades that legalising has only good consequences.
Voters chose this in California
Many American states have seen suicides, domestic violence and car accidents statistics fall significantly since legalising personal use.
The economic benefits are obvious but the social implications are even more important, especially for our young people voting for the first time.
It makes little practical or legal sense to try to enforce a complete ban on self-cultivation for personal use once possession for personal use is legal and legal supply sources have been established.
Home growing and cannabis social clubs can reduce the size of the illicit trade and associated harms and removes the need for users to interact with the illicit market.
HOW TO VOTE
LookForTheLeaf above the line on the SENATE BALLOT PAPER in your state or territory.
Write 1 in the box (nobody will know, so you won’t lose your job)
Select at least six parties (those who you prefer)
Number them in the order of your choice. (2,3,4,5,6+)
The only preferences that count are the numbers that you the voter write on the ballot paper yourself.