The ACT Legislative Assembly has recently passed a bill which allows adults over 18 years to possess and grow small amounts of cannabis in the country’s nation.
The new law will legalize possessing 50 gram of dry cannabis, 150 gram of wet cannabis per person and growing four plants at maximum per household . The laws is said to come into effect from January 31, 2020.
The bill was taken to the table by Labor backbencher Michael Pettersson. The Greens’ help was a must to pass the bill in the assembly.
However, the new bill is expected to contradict with Commonwealth laws which still take cannabis as a prohibited substance, thus prohibiting the possession of cannabis. Commonwealth is likely to overrule the ACT for legalizing the consumption, possession and planting of cannabis in the capital.
But Mr. Peterson on Thursday said that he was ‘very confident’ there wouldn’t be any problem, reports AAP news.
‘The motive behind introducing the bill was backed by health issues not a criminal one’, Petterson commented.
“Because of our drug laws, getting caught with a small amount of cannabis can ruin your life,” he said.
The ACT will yet have the power to arrest people with the possession of any amount of cannabis until the laws comes into effect from the new year.
According to the bill after amendment to the original bill, cannabis must be kept out of reach of children , must not be consumed in the presence of children or planted in community gardens.
