Many were optimistic on Monday that marijuana could be legalized for recreational purposes in Australia but those hopes were dashed on Tuesday.
It was on Tuesday that Greg Hunt, the continent’s Minister for Health, said that the government would oppose the plan to legalize marijuana for recreational use.
According to Hunt, marijuana was a gateway drug to other drugs. He said, “Our job is to protect the health of Australians. This action by the Greens risks the health of Australians.”
The Greens have advocated a plan where a government regulated system with a newly created agency would acts as the wholesaler, buying marijuana from farms and then selling it to licensed shops. The Greens’ proposal would also allow adults to grow up to six plants for personal use and ban purchases for those who are under 18.
The proposal would also ban advertising of the product.
The Greens plan envisions a government-regulated system in which a newly created agency would act as wholesaler, buying marijuana from farmers and selling it to licensed shops. The proposal would also allow adults to grow up to six plants for personal use. And it would ban purchases by those under 18, and prohibit advertising of the product.
“Quite simply, the war on drugs is really a war on people,” Richard Di Natale, the Green party’s leader, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. “We need to get real about cannabis use in Australia.”
