IN MODERN-DAY Australia, something as simple as changing your driver’s licence address is accompanied by a tangle of red tape.
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You can only imagine the labyrinth of regulation involved in trying to legalise an illegal drug for a small percentage of the population.
That’s the legislative conundrum confronting lawmakers across the nation as the medical marijuana snowball becomes an avalanche.
In a breathtaking display of people power, a push that was moribund six months ago now looks a foregone conclusion.
Political obstacles are collapsing at quantum speed as pollies ride the wave of public opinion.
But the legislative heavy lifting has only just begun.
Unless governments can find a way to produce and supply the cannabis medicine, any law decriminalising possession only goes half-way.
Patients will still need to source the drug on the black market, making dosages near impossible to regulate.
So a move by federal Greens Senator Richard Di Natale to introduce a bill granting oversight of medical marijuana production and supply to the feds is a critical step forward.
The bill would cover the whole gamut – the licensing of growers, quality control standards and how the drug is processed and distributed.
While the NSW government should be commended for its attempts to solve the supply riddle, it is better managed in the federal sphere.
This would allow users to carry their cannabis medicine with them across jurisdictions without fear of prosecution. Federal oversight of the program reportedly has strong Coalition party room support, meaning the political will and the public support is in place. A medical marijuana bill in NSW – and indeed across the nation – now appears a fait accompli.
It is now incumbent upon our political leaders to ensure they do precisely what we pay them for – listen to the electorate, craft a workable bill and get out of the way.