AMA submission: Legalising Cannabis Bill 2023

The AMA does not support the Legalising Cannabis Bill 2023. The AMA is concerned that if cannabis were legalised for recreational purposes, it may increase health and social-related harms. This in turn may increase demand on an already overstretched healthcare system. The AMA supports methods to reduce the disproportionate rates of incarceration for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including decriminalising personal cannabis use, and raising the age of criminal responsibility to 14. The AMA is also concerned that people may use recreational cannabis products to self-medicate when Australia already has an existing, high-quality process for assessing the safety, quality, and efficacy of therapeutic products through the TGA.