Australian Greens push for cannabis legalization

The Australian Greens are preparing a campaign to legalize cannabis, a initiative already carried out in 2018.

According to The Guardian, The Greens, on the advice of a constitutional lawyer, argue that the Australian Parliament could override the laws of the various Australian states in this area.

«The board suggests that there are three Commonwealth heads of power that would allow it to legalize and regulate cannabis use, with the clearest path through a portion of Section 51, which deals with copyrights, patents for inventions and designs, and trademarks,» reports The Guardian.

The Guardian reports that attorney Patrick Keyzer relies on the part of the article concerning «copyrights, patents of invention and design, and trademarks», claiming that it empowers the Commonwealth to «regulate the cannabis varieties as plant varieties and to include them in a list over which the Commonwealth has exclusive regulatory control».

«We've been told for too long to wait for cannabis law reform, even though it's clear that the majority of the damage caused is due to the police and the war on drugs, not the plant,» said David Shoebridge, spokesman for the Greens, in a statement on Monday.

«Recreational cannabis is enjoyed by millions of people in Australia and around the world, and to pretend otherwise is increasingly ridiculous,» added Shoebridge. «At least 40% of Australians have used cannabis and any law that makes criminals out of nearly half of us must go.»

A poll earlier this year revealed that Australians were divided on the issue of changing the country's marijuana laws, with 50 % saying they favored comprehensive cannabis reform.

The Greens aren't the only party pushing for cannabis reform. Earlier this year, Australia's Legalize Cannabis exceeded expectations in the senatorial elections and came close to winning a seat.

The cannabis has already been decriminalized in the Australian Capital Territory, where the government announced earlier this year that it would decriminalize other small quantities of illicit drugs. L’South Australia has also announced tabled a proposal for the legalization of cannabis last May.