VAADA welcomes the opportunity to provide a written submission to the Legislative Council Legal and Social Issues Committee’s review of the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Amendment (Regulation of Personal Adult Use of Cannabis) Bill 2023 (the Bill). Drawing on our five decades of experience, VAADA supports the Bill’s proposed amendments.
Public support for cannabis decriminalisation has grown significantly in recent years, and medicinal cannabis use has expanded since becoming available in 2016. VAADA advocates for evidence-based drug policies that reduce harm and optimise public resources. This Bill is an opportunity for Victoria to align its drug laws with the values and realities of todays society. The Bill’s modest, evidence-based proposed changes will reduce harms associated with coercive and harsh criminalisation and enable law enforcement to better focus its resources on serious crime, marking a positive step for Victoria’s drug laws.