Australia Drug Cannabis Laws
Australia is laid back and avoids a war on drugs, drug policy. Instead, they prefer a harm-minimization and treatment rather than jail.
Import and export of cannabis is illegal, and federal penalties apply. So if you are just a casual user or deal locally, offences won’t lead to life imprisonment.
Now, for large cases involving import or export of commercial quantities (100 kg and above for cannabis, 50 kg and above for cannabis resin and 2 kg and above cannabinoids) you can get in serious trouble.
Minor Australian Cannabis Offences for small quantities have lesser penalties. Federal offences mostly target large trafficking and commercial possession and the commercial cultivation of cannabis,.
Thankfully, cannabis offences committed are dealt with under state and territory legislation.
Australia’s National Drug Strategy is for the general population but the Aboriginals have different rules and Australia’s indigenous peoples consume more cannabis than the general population.
Australia’s national level, there exists no overriding law that deals with cannabis-related offences. Each Australian state and territory enacts its own legislation.
Some Australian jurisdictions enforce criminal penalties for possession, use and supply, others enact civil penalties for minor cannabis offences. Conviction for a criminal offence will attract a criminal record and can be punishable by jail time and harsh fines. Civil penalties, however, do not result in a criminal record and are generally handled by lesser fines, mandatory treatment and diversion programmes. Non-violent offenders and minor and early cannabis offenders are purposely diverted from the Australian legal system. If you’re violent, then you get out of jail free pass will most likely be revoked. But if you’re non-violent, your likely to get a free pass and not get a criminal record.
Australian Cannabis Offenders get issued a caution notice rather than face criminal proceedings.
Australian cautioning systems include an educational component on the harms of cannabis which we don’t believe there are.
Mandatory counseling is likely and for repeat offenders, more substantial and detailed treatment is required.