Cannabis, also known as marijuana, is one of the most famous drugs in today’s world. It is a psychoactive drug that is made from the cannabis plant. It can be used for recreational as well as medical purposes.

Despite its popularity, cannabis use is illegal in many places. This article will discuss the legality of weed in Australia.

1. What Is Cannabis or Marijuana

Cannabis is a drug that is used for various purposes. The root of cannabis is the Cannabis Sativa plant. The herb is known to operate on the central nervous system. It alters the sensory perceptions of our body, causing a change in stimuli. This change generally causes a relaxing effect.

The main ingredient in cannabis is THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), and the chemical is known for producing mood-altering elements that cause relaxation, calmness, and feelings explained as a “highness” by drug users.

Cannabis was considered illegal several years ago due to the presence of THC. However, another component in Cannabis, known as CDB, is expected to impact a few percentages of people positively, which has caused a change in the legal status of cannabis all over the world.

2. Is Weed Legal in Australia

In Australia, weed or cannabis use is legal for medical purposes. The government of Australia allows the cultivation of medicinal cannabis, but the use of cannabis for recreational purposes is still illegal at the national level.

However, Cannabis laws in Australian states still vary from state to state, with different penalties for using illegal cannabis. Also, growing cannabis is legalized in some of the states of Australia, whereas in other states, it is still considered a crime. Criminal penalties for the same also vary.

3. Cannabis In Australia

Cannabis in Australia is used in many forms. Some of them include.

• Marijuana

Marijuana is the dried flowers and leaves of the cannabis plant material. It is the weakest form of weed, and this form is usually used for smoking.

• Hashish (or harsh)

Hashish is the dried resin obtained from the cannabis plant. Hashish form is more potent than marijuana.

• Hashish Oil (Or hash oil)

Hashish oil is the oil obtained by extracting hashish. It is known as the most potent form of cannabis.

There are different uses of cannabis in Australia, such as drugs and medicine and in the production of hemp fiber.

4. Cannabis Federal laws In Australia

The use of cannabis in Australia is prohibited in most provinces, except the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), which encompasses the nation’s capital, Canberra. On September 25, 2019, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) legalized medicinal cannabis.

Residents over 18 can possess up to 50 grams of marijuana and grow cannabis plants. Two per person or four cannabis plants per household can be grown for personal use in their homes within their territory. The maximum prison sentence for possessing cannabis or its products is two years.

The nation’s legislature passed the Narcotic Drugs Amendment, making medical marijuana legal with a list of ailments that qualify. Patients with proper prescriptions will now be able to use medical cannabis to treat authorized ailments. Also, the distribution of medicinal cannabis has been legalized under the Therapeutic Goods Act and related state and federal legislation. In contrast, South Australia and northern territories are yet to do so. However, the Ministry of Health is currently looking at the benefits of recreational cannabis for chronic pain, epilepsy, chemotherapy, nausea and vomiting, palliative care, and multiple sclerosis. Individuals who are suffering from these conditions can consult with their doctor. 

In New South Wales, smoking or any cannabis use without a prescription, even in the privacy of your own home, may lead to a formal warning for the first violation rather than felony convictions. The police usually take subsequent offenses more seriously and file criminal charges.

If you are found in possession of cannabis for the second or third time, have a previous criminal record. You may be obliged to undergo drug counseling, also called the cannabis intervention requirement notice.

You’re likely to face criminal prosecution if you’re detected a third time. If you have cannabis on you or at your home, office, or stay, you may be prosecuted for cannabis possession. It may also be considered in possession if you transport it in a bag.

5. Medical Cannabis

The great majority of Australians favor the medicinal use of cannabis in Australia. In the face of the public’s growing interest, product commercialization, and significant patient demand for access, several nations are loosening their cannabis regulations.

Medicinal cannabis and other uses of cannabis are being explored not just in Australia but throughout the world because they can treat various ailments. The availability of medical cannabis products is becoming more legal than recreational use. Media accounts of individuals with incurable diseases whose lifestyles have been most altered by cannabis-based therapies have fueled this support.

The cannabis plant is used to make medicinal marijuana. The flowers of this plant are used to create the psychotropic medical marijuana that is available in various medicinal cannabis products, such as pills, oils, nasal sprays, and various marijuana plant extracts. It’s used to treat the signs and symptoms of various medical problems.

Cannabis contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities, which, when smoked, can ease pain and prevent or lessen vomiting. Because cannabinoids interact with the body’s receptors, They have mood-altering effects. The brain-body communication system affects mood, recollection, sleep, and hunger.

CBD has a broad spectrum of pharmacological properties, but it does not cause intoxication. As per early studies, the medicinal cannabis product seems to have therapeutic potential at relatively high dosages (300–1500 mg) in treating epilepsy, anxiety, and psychosis. Research is still being carried out to ascertain Its potential to help in other illnesses, including neuropathic pain, drug and alcohol addiction, and neurodegenerative disorders.

CBD is widely accessible as a pharmacological ‘wellness’ product in various nations. CBD is not yet accessible over the counter in Australia. However, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is investigating the feasibility of such streamlined access. The government has also passed a cannabis cautioning scheme.

6. Cannabis-based Medicines

There are two cannabis-based drugs currently approved by the Australian Parliament after cannabis legalization they are nabiximols (Sativex) and Cannabidiol (brand name Epidyolex). Sativex is an Oro mucosal spray with a 1:1 combination of THC and CBD licensed for relieving stiffness in patients with multiple sclerosis. Cannabidiol, another CBD product, is a plant-derived oil-based formulation. It was recently licensed to treat refractory pediatric epilepsy, such as Dravet syndrome, in the United States and Europe. The TGA is completing an enhanced evaluation procedure for approval for this item in Australia.

7. Short-Term Effects of Cannabis

Though this plant has been illegal in various parts of the world, people have used it for multiple purposes.

Like other drugs, smoking cannabis affects our bodies both directly and indirectly. In some cases, it also has short-term effects. Some of the main short-term effects of Cannabis include hunger, panic reactions, paranoia, dizziness, increased heart rate, and more. People who smoke tobacco are also exposed to many such problems.

Seeing the rising popularity of this drug, schools, and other educational institutions should immediately start school-based drug education programs where the students will be warned about its effects. It should be mandatory for all students to attend drug counseling at least once. 

While smoking cannabis, the active ingredients of this drug, like every other illegal drug, are absorbed in the blood, and they act on some of the special receptors of our body.

Bottom Line

Although smoking in public is illegal, there is insurance for unregulated home uses of cannabis for recreational purposes. The industry seems to have stemmed out of nowhere and growing rapidly. Despite the benefits of this new industry, some people still believe that it could be damaging and predatory and are calling for the government to step up and create more rules and regulations.

It has been seen that a high percentage of drug consumers in today’s world are youngsters. Various drug control programs and drug diversion programs are organized to reduce the use of drugs among youngsters.

One such program is the Victoria Cannabis Cautioning Program. It was organized to create awareness about the various effects of cannabis. It is advised that people reduce the use of such drugs for a healthy and long life.

Last Updated on May 7, 2024 by Glamour2