Newshawk: Australian Autohawk Pubdate: Fri, 14 Jul 2000 Source: Age, The (Australia) Copyright: 2000 David Syme & Co Ltd Contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Address: 250 Spencer Street, Melbourne, 3000, Australia Website: http://www.theage.com.au/ Author: Randall Ashbourne, Adelaide MARIJUANA DECISION HAS SA USERS LIGHTING UP IN CELEBRATION Home-grown marijuana users in South Australia were lighting up in celebration yesterday after parliament restored to 10 the number of plants that can be grown for personal use. The Olsen Government used regulations a little more than a year ago to slash the number from 10 to three after police lobbied for a crackdown, claiming Adelaide had become Australia's marijuana capital. According to police, organised crime had been using the state's 10-plant law to organise marijuana-growing syndicates to produce a lucrative cash crop for interstate export. But, in the early hours of yesterday morning, the state's Legislative Council threw out the regulation that reduced the plant limit to three - and the government now looks certain to compromise. Health Minister Dean Brown said yesterday he would not move immediately to reintroduce the tougher line and the 10-plant limit would now stay in place for at least two months - enough time for a hydroponic crop to be planted and harvested. It means South Australians can again grow up to 10 plants and face a penalty no higher than a $157 on-the-spot fine - similar to a speeding ticket, but less expensive. Driving at more than 15kmh above the speed limit attracts a fine of $210. The move was initiated by Labor's upper house leader, Carolyn Pickles, who said yesterday the police crackdown had increased the level of organised crime involvement, not reduced it. Ms Pickles accused the government of "a knee-jerk reaction" to the original police request for tougher laws. "The large drug trade will always find a way to get around the laws, and it's that we have to concentrate on," she said. Democrats leader Mike Elliott confessed to "being more than marginally surprised" the often-conservative upper house had voted to end the crackdown. "But it was a bad decision to lower the number of plants," he said. Mr Elliott said that under the 10-plant law, there had been a lot of growers who planted the maximum crop for their own needs and sold the surplus. "When the limit came down, the supply didn't meet the demand and marijuana users were forced back to organised crime, which also has a vested interest in selling harder drugs like amphetamines and heroin," he said. Mr Brown said yesterday he was concerned by the possibility young people were being exposed to hard-drug dealers and there would be no immediate move to reintroduce the tougher limit by regulation. "I've spoken to some of the MPs who voted to increase the personal limit back to 10 plants, and they have indicated their concerns are serious." He said he had asked the state's drug authorities to launch an investigation and would wait for the results before going back to cabinet with tougher laws. He admitted the government's new line might be a compromise approach - allowing personal users to grow five or six plants, rather than trying again for the three-plant limit. __________________________________________________________________________ Distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager _________ EcoNews Service - Alternative News: Ecology, Consciousness & Universe Politics mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] USA http://www.ecologynews.com/index2.html CZECH http://mujweb.cz/www/ecologynews/ UK http://members.tripod.co.uk/ecologynews/ Canada http://www.ecologynews.com/index2.html <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! 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