A Senate inquiry examining the Greens' proposal to legalise recreational cannabis has kicked off its first public hearing in Brisbane on Wednesday.
Participants include representatives from the Australian Lawyers Alliance, the Penington Institute, Families and Friends for Drug Law Reform, the Australian Medical Association (AMA), the Department of Health and Aged Care, and Australian Border Force.
The inquiry is focused on a bill brought before the upper house by Senator David Shoebridge in August 2023 that would allow adult recreational cannabis use, permit home cultivation of up to six plants, and create a nationwide commercial cannabis market.
The legislation would also create the Cannabis Australia National Agency as a statutory body responsible for registering strains and overseeing activities such as growing and possessing plants, manufacturing and selling products, running cannabis cafes, and managing imports and exports.
Medical organisations including the AMA have already indicated their opposition to the bill, while drug law reform advocates have been broadly supportive of the proposal.
