THE introduction of drug decriminalisation laws should be delayed by up to two years, the ACT Opposition says.

The drugs of dependence amendment bill – expected to pass the ACT Legislative Assembly today (October 20) – would decriminalise the possession of small amounts of illicit drugs in the territory, including cocaine, ice and heroin.

The Canberra Liberals do not support the bill and deputy opposition leader Jeremy Hanson will today put forward an amendment seeking to delay the start of the bill from 2023 to 2024.

“It is already slated to begin in 2023, I am calling for it to start in 2024, when the people of Canberra can have their say, knowing exactly what the real plan is,” Hanson said.

“If they are going to pursue these radical changes, it needs to be done with the knowledge and agreement of your community, not snuck through with such contempt for the community, the police, and the harms these drugs cause.”

Under the proposed laws Canberrans could carry “personal possessions” of drugs including up to two grams of cocaine, ice and heroin, up to 0.5 gm of ecstasy, or up to 0.002 gm of LSD.

People could receive a $100 fine or be sent to a drug diversion program if they are caught with drugs within an allowable amount.

“The harm these drugs do is obvious and devastating, this approach has been tried around the world, and has led to wreckage and misery,” Hanson said.

“Yet despite repeated calls to stop this dangerous reform from local Commonwealth police, they are determined to push through without a mandate.”

Hanson said he is “appalled” at the process taken by Labor and the Greens to see the laws passed.

“At the last election, Labor did not mention changing laws for heroin, meth or cocaine, not before the election, and not during it, not one word,” he said.

“Yet in the first year, a Labor member brought forward a bill to decriminalise everything, including shocking drugs like heroin and meth. The Greens tried to push it further, increasing the limit to allow months of supply to be decriminalised.”

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