POLL SHOWS SPLIT ON NEW CANNABIS LAWS

WA'S proposed cannabis laws have divided the community and look set to be a
defining issue at the next State election.

The latest Westpoll indicates less than half the community endorses the
move to decriminalise the use and cultivation of small amounts of the drug.

Under the laws, which passed through the Legislative Assembly this month,
recreational users caught with two plants will be fined $200. Users with
less than 30g of the drug will be fined up to $150.

The Westpoll showed 46 per cent of people supported the changes and 41 per
cent opposed them with the remainder unsure.

Of the 33 per cent of people who admitted having smoked cannabis, 65 per
cent supported the proposed laws. Under 35s were far more likely to support
the new laws than older people.

Health Minister Bob Kucera said the Westpoll, which showed more people
supported the new legislation than opposed it, vindicated the Government's
stance.

"My experience has been that when people are presented with the facts of
the legislation, they are very comfortable with it," he said. "People
should remember that the legislation reflects the recommendations of the
Community Drug Summit, where people based their approach on evidence - not
emotion.

"Under these laws, if you use cannabis or grow cannabis you will be
engaging in an illegal act and you will be penalised. End of story."

The Westpoll showed a third of coalition voters had smoked cannabis,
compared with 29 per cent of ALP voters and 59 per cent of Greens supporters.

But more than half of ALP voters agreed with the reforms, compared with 38
per cent of coalition voters and 63 per cent of Greens voters.

Opposition Leader Colin Barnett said the higher use of cannabis by
coalition voters could be because they were more likely to have gone to
university. "People are probably reasonably accepting of possession of
small amounts of cannabis but in judgment there is strong opposition to
cultivation," he said.

The survey on cannabis use revealed a strong age bias, with 51 per cent of
people under 35 having experienced the drug compared with 24 per cent of
over 35s.

Support for the new policy also showed a strong age bias, with 53 per cent
of people under 35 supporting the changes.

More than 40 per cent of respondents believed cannabis was more harmful
than alcohol and a third rated it the same.


Pubdate: Sat, 26 Apr 2003
Source: West Australian (Australia)
Copyright: 2003 West Australian Newspapers Limited
Contact: letters@wanews.com.au
Website: http://www.thewest.com.au