NCJ Number
62118
Date Published
1978
Length
11 pages
Annotation
ATTEMPTS TO CONTROL MARIJUANA USE IN AUSTRALIA THROUGH USE OF CRIMINAL PENALTIES AND LARGE SCALE POLICE ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS ARE CRITICIZED AND LIKENED TO WITCH HUNTS OF PAST HISTORY.
Abstract
ACTING IN THIS MANNER, AUSTRALIANS ARE MAKING MARIJUANA USERS THE SCAPEGOATS OF THEIR SOCIETY AND ARE PERPETUATING MYTHS ABOUT MARIJUANA SUCH AS THAT ITS MARKET IS CONTROLLED BY CRIMINAL SYNDICATES. MOREOVER, CURRENT MARIJUANA LAWS AND ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS ARE CAPRICIOUS, ADD TO BIAS AND CLASS DISCRIMINATION, ARE INEFFECTIVE, AND VIOLATE CIVIL LIBERTIES. VARIOUS SURVEYS INDICATE THAT BETWEEN HALF AND THREE QUARTERS OF A MILLION AUSTRALIANS USE MARIJUANA AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH, BUT ONLY 5,000 ARE ARRESTED ANNUALLY. MOST OF THOSE CONVICTED ARE IN THE WORKING CLASS, YET THOSE OF HIGHER OCCUPATIONAL STATUS HAVE HIGHER RATES OF MARIJUANA USE. AVERAGE FINES FOR CONVICTED OFFENDERS RANGE FROM $10.50 IN TASMANIA TO $300 IN QUEENSLAND. THE CHANCES OF BEING CONVICTED ARE ABOUT 5,000 TO 1, YET A CONVICTION CAN RUIN THE FUTURE CAREER OF A MARIJUANA USER. SEARCHES WITHOUT WARRANTS ARE OFTEN USED TO APPREHEND SUSPECTS; THESE SEARCHES VIOLATE CIVIL LIBERTIES, AS ILLUSTRATED BY RECENT CASES IN CEDAR BAY AND QUEENSLAND. MOREOVER, CURRENT LAW MISLEADS THE PUBLIC INTO BELIEVING THAT MARIJUANA USE IS MORE HARMFUL THAN OF ALCOHOL OR TOBACCO, DESPITE EXPERT OPINION TO THE CONTRARY. MEANWHILE, ENFORCEMENT OF MARIJUANA LAWS DIVERTS POLICE RESOURCES FROM PROTECTING PEOPLE FROM VIOLENT CRIME. TWO POSSIBLE REFORMS IN MARIJUANA LAW ARE DECRIMINALIZATION AND LEGALIZATION. DECRIMINALIZATION EFFORTS SHOULD BE BASED ON THE U.S. EXPERIENCE. LEGALIZATION OF MARIJUANA WOULD BE THE MOST DESIRABLE ALTERNATIVE. A CANNABIS CONTROL BOARD THEN COULD BE ESTABLISHED WITH STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS SIMILAR TO THOSE OF THE CURRENT WHEAT AND BUTTER BOARDS. FOOTNOTES WHICH INCLUDE REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. FOR RELATED ARTICLES IN THE SAME BOOK SEE NCJ 62119-62126.