Australia: West Australia Premier Vows to Roll Back Marijuana Reforms, Reenergize Drug War
Leading a Liberal-National Party coalition government, West Australia Premier Colin Barnett is introducing legislation this week to roll back reforms to the state's marijuana laws. Passed by an earlier Labor government in 2003, the changes decriminalized the possession of up to 30 grams of pot and allowed for the growing of up to two plants without fear of arrest and prosecution.
In a media statement Sunday and another one Monday, the "tough on crime" premier gave clear notice he was cracking down on pot and other drug offenders, and was willing to extend police powers to do so. He said he would introduce legislation to repeal the state's Cannabis Control Act of 2003 and to amend the 1981 Misuse of Drugs and Youthful Offender Act.
"The Liberal-National Government is committed to tackling both the demand and supply sides of the illicit drug problem through strong law enforcement policies, education and rehabilitation," Barnett said. "Cannabis is not a harmless or soft drug. Research continues to show that cannabis can lead to a host of health and mental health problems including schizophrenia, and can be a gateway to harder drugs," he maintained, treating highly controversial and discredited claims as if they were fact.
According to Premier Barnett, his legislation will:
• Prosecute those in possession of more than 10g of cannabis
• See subsequent offences for possession being prosecuted as criminal offences.
• Prosecute people for cultivating even one or two cannabis plants.
• Extend the ban the sale of pot-smoking implements to minors to include everyone.
• Increase the fine for selling smoking implements to $5,000 for sale to adults and $10,000 for sale to minors. Corporate entities could be fined up to five times those amounts.
Barnett also wants to "reform" the Cannabis Infringement Notice Scheme (CIN), or ticketing and fines for decriminalized amounts by replacing it with a Cannabis Intervention Requirement Scheme (CIRS) that would require anyone ticketed to attend "drug education" classes. It would also mandate that anyone who failed to pay his fine would be prosecuted, something that has not been the case under the current law.
Barnett's scheme would also allow for the criminal prosecution for marijuana possession of juveniles after two decrim tickets and adults after one. The current law has no such measures.
There's more to come, Barnett promised. "The next steps will be to amend legislation to enable courts to impose a harsher sentence on dealers who sell or supply illicit drugs to children, irrespective of the location of the sale or supply," he said. "Further amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1981 will provide offences for exposing children to harm or to the danger of serious harm from the manufacture of illegal drugs, such as amphetamines, or the unlawful cultivation of illegal hydroponically-grown plants. The Government will also move to ban the sale of drug paraphernalia, including cocaine kits."
But, he said Monday, he's going to start by soon introducing legislation to allow police to stop and search anyone without probable cause. The police commissioner would designate certain "stop and search" zones with advance public notice, especially in entertainment areas.
"Police will have the right to go up to anyone they wish to and introduce a stop and search power," Barnett said. "It will not be an invasive search; it will be comparable to the sort of search and screening that takes place for any citizen getting on an aeroplane."
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redditEver heard of human rights?
Comment posted by Justin Ballot on Wed, 10/14/2009 - 11:45am1939 all over again. gestapo stop and search as all are automatically assumed guilty.
Alcohol supremacist bigotry is thriving in Western Australia
Comment posted by Anonymous on Wed, 10/14/2009 - 12:49pmGo have another drink of your favorite drug, Mr. Barnet, you loathsome lying fascist hypocrite.
Proven Method
Comment posted by Anonymous on Wed, 10/14/2009 - 2:09pmWhat better way to make money for his government than to take the proven method of the drug war. It's brillant really, just go after the drug war in a big way, and bail out when they have made enough money. America has shown the drug war doesn't work, the trick is to quit while the money is still there. A lesson we have taught other countries by our own shinning example.
Our Money
Comment posted by Anonymous on Wed, 10/14/2009 - 3:07pmThey will also receive a very large amount of money from this country to fight the losing battle. It would be interesting to know just how much money our government will be donating for another lost cause.
Auzzie's US PAYOFF !!
Comment posted by Anonymous on Wed, 10/14/2009 - 7:34pmWhat a coincidence that Canada , UK,and now the AUZZIES,are spending so much time over a herb,weed...The US DEA is waging one more bulls%%t campaign full of lies and imtimitation .So what else is new...When the US finally gets there's,I would not want to be on there side...but that must be the auzzie goverment mentallity,or is it..revolt is in the air (if air is not illegal by then..)
Rotted Out Fraternal Order Government
Comment posted by Anonymous on Thu, 10/15/2009 - 2:08pm"What a coincidence that Canada , UK,and now the AUZZIES,are spending so much time over a herb,weed..."
Because of something that infests and rots out the governments.
For a hint, take a strong look at a box of Marlboro's (their protected drug) and note how flipping the lid is flipping the cap stone.
We are not going to be able to protect ourselves from such criminal racketeering until we the people cleanse the governments at the ballot from members of secretive societies.
Why after all did even China adapt these prohibitions- as they are just as much puppets.
This is indicative of the
Comment posted by Anonymous on Thu, 10/15/2009 - 2:52pmThis is indicative of the tobacco, alcohol, and pharmacuetical industries feathering their nests. They are stepping up their P.R. movements that includes distributing some of the wealth they have accrued from their synthetic poisons deamed 'acceptable'; political leaders are bullhorns for marketing of these synthetics. Gateway? Are we in fuckin kindergarten still? A political official overlooking the obvious 'gateway' substances in society? Does anyone not realize how incoherent Barnett sounds? What are the police to do about abuse of prescriptions? How can they really tell if citizens are on the dangerous drugs? They cannot. That is precisely why drug testing and drug policy is isolated on Cannabis, other than the inherent threat Cannabis potentially proposes to these industries. Overcompensation is apparent in these desperate attempts at stifling responsible and accountable action. The harder ball they play, the more exposure of law enforcement corruption we shall surface. All they have to do is meet our humane request for choice and discretion. Where is the education and treatment they talk about? Where is all this health and safety they offer? Hypocrits never prosper in the long run and contradictions spawn tyrant eradication. We have no reason to fear. FEAR NOT Brothers and Sisters! Permit THEM to continue to fear us, as their actions and words are demonstrative of just that. It would be ill advised for them to continue treading on us with these limitations. There are way too many reputable people with conviction standing up for open debate (i.e, LEAP, NORML). DEA and other law enforcement agencies have been wired and there is copious intelligence on deck. Surely they didn't think we wouldn't learn from what they have done to honest, responsible , and accountable citizens. Their tactics have been countered and redirected at them. Maybe they shouldn't be airing all these 'csi' shows. I trust that ALL members of law enforcement will introspectively search within themselves and find out what they truly wish to do with their careers. Is cannabis really criminal? It is a product that requires little or no processing. I should think not, and 80 million + are in accordance with that idea. Strength in numbers....
What an Idiot
Comment posted by Anonymous on Thu, 10/15/2009 - 6:01pmHow this man can keep a straight face is beyond me! It has to be all about the money, inless the man is just a simple idiot. Anyone can see the attitude towards marijuana is changing world wide. Talk about a step backwards!
Scary
Comment posted by Dojablazer on Wed, 10/14/2009 - 8:58amWow, that is very scary. What a frightening abuse of fundamental rights that every person, regardless of the country they live in, should have.
Also he is lying and stating something as a fact which has been disproven and shown to be false. Therefore it is not an accurate fact. Do Australian policies allow officials to publicly lie to persuade the public one way or another? Both of those facts he stated about weed were lies.
I can't believe there are still people like this out there.