Pubdate: Wed, 09 Apr 2003
Source: West Australian (Australia)
Copyright: 2003 West Australian Newspapers Limited
Contact:  http://www.thewest.com.au
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/495
Author: Ben Harvey

DRUG REFORM UNDER FIRE

MORE violent home invasions, police corruption and organised crime rackets 
infiltrating the suburbs would flow from the State Government's planned 
cannabis law changes, says the Opposition.

The Opposition yesterday outlined in State Parliament its case against the 
Government's reform proposals.

Under proposed laws people who grow or possess small amounts of cannabis 
for personal use would not be treated as criminals.

But the new laws would stop short of full decriminalisation, with police 
retaining the discretion to charge people they believed were flouting the law.

Recreational users caught with two non-hydroponically grown plants would be 
fined $200. Users with less than 30g of the drug would be fined up to $150.

Opposition Leader Colin Barnett said the reforms would take away the moral 
authority of parents to bring up their children drug free.

"They (Labor) say to young people that it will be OK to grow a couple of 
plants, it will no longer be a criminal act," Mr Barnett said.

"Labor members will also say to the wider community that it is not about 
making criminals of people who may have a very small amount of cannabis, or 
may have a joint in the glove box of their car.

"If that were the objective, legislation would be directed to that aspect.

"The action would be about extending the cautioning system or expunging 
criminal records if a period has elapsed without further convictions." Mr 
Barnett said 30g could be sold on the streets for between $200 and $500. 
Smaller parcels of cannabis known as foils weighed between 1g and 2g and 
could be sold for $25 each.

Mr Barnett claimed studies showed a plant could yield up to 2.7kg annually, 
well above the 150g to 300g a year yield on which organised crime police 
base their calculations.

"If members do not think that will light up people's eyes when they see an 
opportunity for home production, for trading cannabis, or for distributing 
for children, they are living in cloud cuckoo land," he said.

Health Minister Bob Kucera, who introduced the Cannabis Control Bill last 
month, rejected Opposition allegations that the Government was soft on drugs.

"The current (Police) Commissioner supports this legislation," he said. 
"Two of his most senior officers were on the committee that sat after the 
community drug summit to implement its recommendations."

As part of changes to the law the number of plants a person can have before 
being charged with dealing drugs will drop from 25 to 10.

And for the first time the sellers of hydroponics equipment will be 
licensed and people who sell smoking paraphernalia will be controlled.

Speaking outside the House, shadow police minister Matt Birney said the 
rate of home invasions in South Australia, where cannabis had been 
decriminalised to an extent, doubled between 1990 and 2000.

Police estimated 10 per cent of invasions were related to cannabis plant 
"rip-offs", Mr Birney said. 
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