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Brumby tried it at uni, but now he's changed his mind
Ellen Whinnett
September 07, 2007 12:00am
Premier John Brumby, pictured as a teacher in 1976, has admitted experimenting with marijuana in his university days, but now opposes any relaxation of marijuana laws.
PREMIER John Brumby has changed his stance on marijuana and now says the drug should not be legalised. In 1996 he sought to have it decriminalised.
Mr Brumby, who has said he tried marijuana while at university, says he has no plans to decriminalise the drug, which is being increasingly linked to depression and other mental illnesses.
In 1994, Mr Brumby as Opposition leader said his personal view was that the drug should be decriminalised.
And in 1996, he went as far as to introduce a private member's Bill, seeking to have marijuana decriminalised, $100 fines introduced for people who smoked it in public, and a reduction in penalties for some drug trafficking.
"In South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory effectively it is an offence but not an indictable offence to consume marijuana. That is my personal view. It is not a view I've pushed through the party," Mr Brumby said in 1994.
Speaking about his time at university, Mr Brumby said: "I tried marijuana and experimented with marijuana.
"I'm not endorsing, suggesting, promoting, encouraging people to do that, but I'm being honest in saying that I did do that and unlike (US) President (Bill) Clinton, I did inhale."
Mr Brumby's comments 13 years ago were made during a period of debate about whether laws prohibiting the smoking or possession of small amounts of marijuana ought to be relaxed.
Two years later, his personal opinions became Labor policy.
"As I have said, tens of millions of dollars of police time and resources and court time is currently devoted to prosecuting, and in some cases persecuting, individuals who do no more than consume small amounts of marijuana for personal use," he told State Parliament in 1996.
"We say that is a shocking and inexcusable waste of resources when every single dollar of budget spending we can get is needed to tackle the real problems caused by drug abuse in our community. What folly, and how absurd it is to spend all that time and money prosecuting and persecuting those who do no more than consume small amounts of marijuana for personal use.
". . . the Opposition supports the recommendation to decriminalise marijuana because the link between marijuana and harder drugs must be broken."
Former Liberal premier Jeff Kennett encouraged the debate after the Penington report into drug law reform, but ultimately decided not to decriminalise marijuana after a rebellion from conservative back-benchers and some in his Cabinet.
Mr Brumby's spokeswoman, Louise Perry, said yesterday that the Labor Government would not be changing its current position, which is to oppose any relaxation of marijuana laws.
"The Premier felt the debate had moved on from when he made these comments, and the evidence was clearly showing now that strong deterrents were working," Ms Perry said.
She said Mr Brumby's view was that the clear message of unacceptability of cannabis had contributed to reduced use and increasingly negative attitudes towards cannabis use, especially among young people.
Previous Labor premier Steve Bracks has said he never tried marijuana.
Opposition Leader Ted Baillieu is another who has never smoked the drug.
Herald Sun
