The Australian government could override state laws to legalize adult-use cannabis nationwide.
That’s according to new constitutional advice provided to the Greens as the minor party ramps up its legalization campaign, The Guardian reported.
David Shoebridge, the Greens’ justice spokesperson, told the news outlet that the advice, given by constitutional lawyer Patrick Keyzer, paves the way for federal cannabis policy reform.
Shoebridge plans to release a draft bill later this year to legalize adult-use cannabis at the federal level, The Guardian reported. It would be the first attempt to legalize cannabis through Australia’s federal parliament, according to the news outlet.
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“We’ve been told to wait for cannabis law reform for too long, even when it’s obvious that the majority of harm caused is by policing and the war on drugs, not the plant,” Shoebridge told The Guardian. “Recreational cannabis is enjoyed by millions in Australia and around the world, and pretending otherwise is increasingly ridiculous. At least 40% of Australians have used cannabis and any law that makes almost half of us criminals needs to go."
