Pubdate: Wed, 28 Nov 2001 Source: West Australian (Australia) Copyright: 2001 West Australian Newspapers Limited Contact: http://www.thewest.com.au Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/495 Author: Wendy Pryer LAWS EASED ON BACKYARD MARIJUANA GROWING two cannabis plants, or fewer, in the backyard and possessing up to 25g of marijuana will result in a fine instead of a criminal conviction under a Gallop Government plan on drugs released yesterday. The Government has set up a committee to rewrite the Misuse of Drugs Act. The committee is due to report by March on penalties for infractions by people growing two cannabis plants or fewer for their own use. The previous coalition government brought in a cautioning system which applied only to first offenders in possession of 25g of cannabis or less. The cautioned offenders were not fined but were required to attend drug education classes. Further offences were dealt with by courts. Premier Geoff Gallop said yesterday that despite the delay in implementing the proposed legislation, the WA Police Service had been asked to immediately extend the current cautioning system to all offenders. Police have also been asked to caution people found with one or two cannabis plants in their backyard before the legislation, due next year, is introduced. Those people will still be required to attend drug education classes. A similar system in South Australia imposes fines ranging from $50 to $150 for the possession of up to 100g of marijuana and the cultivation of three, or fewer, cannabis plants before a criminal offence is recorded. The response to the community drug summit's recommendations for prohibition with civil penalties in relation to marijuana use also mentions new laws which will help police prevent drug trafficking. There will be a public education campaign about changes to the laws and the risks associated with using marijuana or other cannabis-derived drugs such as hashish. The Government will continue to monitor marijuana use among Year 7 to Year 12 students. Monitoring of the potency of the drug will also continue. A spokeswoman for Health Minister Bob Kucera said it was likely that the task force looking at cannabis laws would also consider the medical use of cannabis. In 2000-01, 75 per cent of all drug offences related to marijuana use - 50 per cent of those charges related to possession of the drug. More than 93 per cent of the 10,056 people charged last financial year with possession of marijuana, or with implements designed to smoke it, ended up before the courts. Dr Gallop said such people were tying up the courts and precious police resources were being wasted. Simon Lenton, research fellow at the National Drug Research Institute based at Curtin University, supported the Government's response yesterday, adding that there was no evidence that South Australia's prohibition with penalties approach to cannabis had led to increased use of the drug. Mr Lenton said that despite prohibition, the cultivation of cannabis in WA backyards took place to the same extent as that in South Australia. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom