Cannabis in Victoria

{{Infobox cannabis overview|title=Cannabis in Victoria|medicinal=Legal|recreational=Illegal|hemp=Legal|image=[[File:Victoria on a map of Australia.png|270px]]|caption=The state of Victoria coloured in red.|spiritual=Illegal}}

'''Cannabis in Victoria''' has been legal for [[Medical cannabis|medicinal use]] since the [[First Andrews ministry|Andrews government]] passed legislation for a trial of medically-necessary cannabis since 2016. The roll-out of the first [[Victoria (state)|Victorian]]-grown medicinal cannabis products was scheduled to occur in 2017, however, in late 2016 the federal [[Turnbull government]] passed legislation legalising the prescribed use of cannabis federally, affecting the initial roll-out. While [[hemp]] has been legal federally since 2017; no such law has legalised the recreational use of cannabis in Victoria, and therefore recreational cannabis remains illegal.

Although possession of cannabis for recreational use is technically illegal in Victoria, possession of under 50 grams generally warrants a caution notice and advice to attend drug counselling.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A State-by-State Guide to Cannabis in Australia {{!}} INN |url=https://investingnews.com/guide-to-cannabis-in-australia#:~:text=Recreational%20cannabis%20possession%20and%20use,directions%20to%20attend%20drug%20counselling. |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=investingnews.com |language=en}}</ref>

== Legality history == In 1928, Victoria became the first state to control cannabis use, making it a criminal offense.<ref>Campbell, A (2001). ''The Australian Illicit Drug Guide: Every person's guide to illicit drugs – their use, effects and history, treatment options and legal penalties''. Black Inc. National Library of Australian Cataloguing. {{ISBN|1-86395-362-0}}</ref>

=== State-based medicinal legalisation {{Endash}} 2015/16 === During the [[2014 Victorian state election]] campaign, the [[Victorian Labor Party]] committed to legalising the medical use of cannabis in 'exceptional circumstances', citing community feedback from parents in the state alleging that cannabis had helped their children combat debilitating illness unlike other legal pharmaceuticals.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-10-06 |title=Medicinal marijuana to be legalised in Victoria |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-07/locally-grown-marijuana-to-be-legalised-in-victoria-medical/6830892 |access-date=2025-01-13 |work=ABC News |language=en-AU}}</ref>

The Andrews government asked the Victorian Law Reform Commission to advise on how to structure the new laws, giving people with illness a pathway to access of cannabis without making it widely available to the general population. The VLRC provided 42 recommendations, of which the government accepted 40 fully and accepted 2 in principle.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Medicinal Cannabis [2015] VLRC 32 |url=https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/other/lawreform/VLRC/2015/32.html |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=www.austlii.edu.au |language=en}}</ref> In 2016, the bill to legalise the medicinal use of cannabis within a regulatory framework passed the [[Victorian Parliament]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Legalising medicinal cannabis: Victoria shows the way |url=https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/legalising-medicinal-cannabis-victoria-shows-the-way#:~:text=The%20Access%20to%20Medicinal%20Cannabis,for%20pharmacists%20to%20dispense%20it. |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=Pursuit |language=en}}</ref>

=== Federal medicinal legalisation {{Endash}} 2016 === Following the introduction and debate of the Victorian law in 2015, [[Moderates (Liberal Party of Australia)|moderate]] Prime Minister [[Malcolm Turnbull]] announced he would advise his respective minister to draft legislation which would allow the medicinal, scientific and industrial use of cannabis and hemp in Australia, with prospective patients requiring a prescription from their doctor to access approved products.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lee |first=Jane |date=2015-10-16 |title=Medicinal cannabis: Turnbull government to introduce law to legalise and license growers |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/medicinal-cannabis-turnbull-government-to-introduce-law-to-legalise-and-licence-growers-20151016-gkbamq.html |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}</ref> The bill passed later in 2016, with support of all major parties.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historic medicinal cannabis legislation passes Parliament {{!}} Centre for Medicinal Cannabis Research and Innovation |url=https://www.medicinalcannabis.nsw.gov.au/news-and-events/passing-of-the-narcotic-drugs-amendment-act-2016#:~:text=Parliament%20has%20today%20passed%20the,of%20painful%20and%20chronic%20conditions. |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=www.medicinalcannabis.nsw.gov.au}}</ref>

The [[Australian Government]] allowed exports of Australian-grown medical cannabis in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-01-04 |title=Turnbull Government to allow medicinal cannabis exports |url=https://www.greghunt.com.au/turnbull-government-to-allow-medicinal-cannabis-exports/ |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=Professor The Hon Greg Hunt |language=en-AU}}</ref>

=== Greens legalisation and decriminalisation proposal {{Endash}} 2022 === During the [[2022 Victorian state election]] campaign, the [[Victorian Greens]] announced a policy that would legalise the adult recreational use of cannabis in Victoria.<ref name="greens.org.au">{{Cite web |title=Legalise It {{!}} Australian Greens Victoria |url=https://greens.org.au/vic/legalise-it |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=greens.org.au |language=en}}</ref> The law, if enacted, would see a 30% tax applied to cannabis products, similar to alcohol and residents would be able to legally purchase cannabis from a store.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kolovos |first=Benita |date=2022-10-09 |title=Victorian Greens push for cannabis to be legalised, taxed similarly to alcohol |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/oct/10/victorian-greens-push-for-cannabis-to-be-legalised-taxed-similarly-to-alcohol |access-date=2025-01-13 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> The Greens said according to the Parliamentary Budget Office costings, the taxation could raise over $1bn in revenue for the state government in a decade, and save $250m from justice system costs in the same time frame.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |title=Bold plan to legalise cannabis in one state |url=https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/victorian-greens-announce-policy-to-legalise-cannabis-ahead-of-november-state-election/news-story/6d310b6fe28f1140a102723b218d1383 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221013150052/https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/victorian-greens-announce-policy-to-legalise-cannabis-ahead-of-november-state-election/news-story/6d310b6fe28f1140a102723b218d1383 |archive-date=13 October 2022 |access-date=2025-01-13 |work=news |language=en-GB |url-status=live }}</ref>

A secondary component to the 2022 proposal was the decriminalisation of cannabis for adult use from 2023.<ref name=":0" />

As of 2025, the bill has not been introduced to parliament.

=== Other reforms === As of 2025, Victoria is undergoing a trial which would allow users of medicinal cannabis to drive, so long as they are not impaired.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kolovos |first=Benita |date=2024-10-30 |title=Drivers to escape punishment over medical cannabis under interim Victorian proposal |url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/30/victoria-medical-cannabis-driving-licence-cancellation-exemption-proposal |access-date=2025-01-13 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

== Partisan views on cannabis legalisation in Victoria == {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! colspan="2" |Party !Views !Notes |- | {{Australian party style|liberal}} | |[[Victorian Liberal Party|Liberal Victoria]] |Against |Against general legalisation, pro-medicinal.<ref>{{Cite web |last=corporateName=Commonwealth Parliament; address=Parliament House |first=Canberra |title=Additional comments from Coalition Senators |url=https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/MedCannabisBill2023/Report/Additional_comments_from_Coalition_Senators |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=www.aph.gov.au |language=en-AU}}</ref> |- | {{Australian party style|labor}} | |[[Victorian Labor]] |For |Open to future discussion, pro-medicinal<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eddie |first=Rachel |date=2023-11-29 |title=Victorian government open to discussing decriminalising cannabis use |url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/victorian-government-open-to-discussing-decriminalising-cannabis-use-20231129-p5enl4.html#:~:text=Mental%20Health%20Minister%20Ingrid%20Stitt,the%20door%20open%20to%20reform. |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=The Age |language=en}}</ref> |- | {{Australian party style|greens}} | |[[Victorian Greens]] |For |Pro-legalisation, pro-medicinal.<ref name="greens.org.au"/> |}

== Opinion polling == A poll conducted in 2024 of 1511 Victorians found that '''54%''' were pro-legalisation, 28.5% opposed, whilst 17.5% were unsure.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-03-17 |title=Poll shows majority support for legalising pot in Victoria |url=https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/state/vic/2024/03/17/victoria-poll-backs-legal-pot |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=www.thenewdaily.com.au |language=en}}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[Cannabis in the Australian Capital Territory]] * [[Cannabis in Australia]]

== References == {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Cannabis in Australia]] [[Category:Law reform in Australia]]