Pubdate: Fri, 21 May 1999 Source: Illawarra Mercury (Australia) Copyright: Illawarra Newspapers Contact: http://mercury.illnews.com.au/ PLAN TO RELAX LAWS ON CANNABIS A proposal to remove jail terms for personal use of cannabis was passed by the NSW Drug Summit last night. The summit also backed a proposal to decriminalise the offence of self-administration of an illegal substance. State Attorney-General Jeff Shaw said the cannabis proposal was not to decriminalise cannabis, rather to remove jail terms for personal use and the introduction of a cautioning system similar to that used in Victoria. ``We have to take the new ideas from this summit and have the courage to test them out in the real world,'' Mr Shaw said. The proposal will remove jail terms for possession and cultivation of small amounts of cannabis as well as possession and sale of equipment like water bongs. Mr Shaw said it would help keep young people out of the criminal justice system. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek Rea