Victorian Sex Party MP pushes Parliament to consider 'economic benefits' of legalising marijuana

By Stephanie Anderson

Australian Sex Party MP Fiona Patten has introduced a motion to Victoria's Upper House calling for the legalisation of cannabis for personal use.

Ms Patten argued for the legalisation of the drug to reduce the burden on the courts and generate income through regulation.

She told Parliament about a third of Victorians admit to using, or having used, the drug and in some age groups there were more people smoking marijuana than tobacco.

"I'm probably the only leader of a political party in Victoria who's admitting to occasionally smoking marijuana for personal use," she said.

"I'm kind of guessing that probably about a third of people in this chamber may have at one stage, maybe not inhaled, but may have at one stage tried some cannabis."

While the motion was voted down 32 to six, Ms Patten said she hoped it was the beginning of an ongoing conversation about legalising the drug.

Ms Patten told Parliament there had been 2,600 cannabis-related arrests in a year.

"[That's] 60 a week, seven a day," Ms Patten said.

"That's how many people are going through our court system every day on cannabis related arrests.
"I mean what a way to clog up the courts system."

Ms Patten urged the Parliament to consider the economic benefits of legalising marijuana, saying Victoria could become the "mull bowl" of the world.

"We already have a community spending close to a billion dollars a year on this product," she said.
"If this was any other industry ... we would be flying, fighting for it.

"Victoria could be the mull bowl of the world, we have a beautiful climate."

Government, Opposition opposed to legal marijuana

The Victorian Government has legalised medicinal cannabis for children with epilepsy, and is looking at expanding the scheme to other groups.

But Families and Children Minister Jenny Mikakos told Parliament the Government did not support legalising marijuana for personal use.

"We have made a very clear distinction between recreational cannabis that we regard as being harmful to our community, and medical cannabis that can save lives in our community," she said.

She told Parliament the legalisation of marijuana in the American state of Colorado had led to an increase in hospital presentations.

"Emergency department visits nearly doubled after the legalisation of recreational marijuana," Ms Mikakos said.

She said there were 22 presentation for cannabis issues for every 100,000 emergency department visits between 2010 to 2013, which jumped to 38 per 100,000 in the first half of 2014.

The Opposition's Mary Wooldridge also opposed the motion, saying it would send the wrong message.

"We do not support the legalisation of a drug which the evidence shows, in our view, does and can cause significant harm," she said.

"I don't even like to use the terms recreational, it implies something fun and playful.

"Legalising personal use sends the wrong message that there's a safety about smoking and the use of cannabis."