VICTORIAN Premier, Daniel Andrews, is facing calls from health and legal services to decriminalise cannabis use, ahead of Nov's state election.
In an open letter to Andrews presented to the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the Use of Cannabis Chair, Fiona Patten, yesterday, advocates from a broad range of sectors, urged the Premier to halt the "government's dogged pursuit of criminalising people who choose to use cannabis".
Drug legalisation lobby group, Unharm Campaigns Director, Sam Kidd, said the Government's current policies were out of step with the community.
"Over 11,000 Victorians are arrested for low-level cannabis possession every year," Kidd said.
"That's 30 every day, and it's Aboriginal people, people of colour, young people, and people experiencing homelessness who are disproportionately targeted.
"The huge number of arrests for cannabis stands in stark contrast to the attributes of Victorians, 77% of whom support decriminalisation.
"The message from experts, the evidence and Victorians is clear - decriminalising cannabis is the right thing to do - it will make Victoria a fairer, happier and healthier place for us all."
Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service CEO, Nerita Waight, said that cannabis use needed to be treated as a health issue rather than a criminal activity.
"If people have a problem with their cannabis use, they need healthcare and support, not harassment from police," she said.
"Being arrested and getting a criminal record makes it harder for people to find work, housing and support.
"It's time to treat drugs as a public health issue and get people the support they need to heal."
Waight added that the current approach to cannabis was "founded on racist attitudes".
"The criminalisation of drugs has been used by police to target Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, and other marginalised communities," Waight said.
"The overpolicing of our people needs to stop, and decriminalising cannabis is an important step on the path to decriminalising all drugs."
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