Introducing the Penington Cannabis Control Plan – a clear plan to legalise and safely regulate cannabis for adult personal use >>

Download the plan >>

Broad community support >>

Why regulate it >>

A regulatory model for safe cannabis access for adult personal use in Australia is not only possible, it’s necessary.

Right now, cannabis is widely available through an unregulated, underground illicit market that puts people at risk. By regulating it, we can replace that unsafe system with one that protects health, improves community safety and supports people to make informed choices.

Here’s how the Penington Cannabis Control Plan works >>

FAQs

Australia’s current cannabis laws are doing more harm to the community than good.  

Many overseas jurisdictions have already introduced regulated cannabis models, including 24 US states and countries including Canada, Germany, Uruguay and Malta.  

The new cannabis laws in overseas jurisdictions have generally proven to be popular and effective. 

Among young adults (aged 20-29), nearly one in 4 (24.4%) used cannabis in the past year.  The current illicit cannabis market poses serious risks to young Australians, both those under and over the age of 18. There are no age restrictions, no quality controls and no oversight in the current illegal system. Young people can currently access high-potency products through criminals who don’t care about their safety.

A regulated cannabis market can mitigate these risks of harm. It can affirm strict age limits (limiting access to 18+ only) and introduce strong safeguards to reduce harm, such as product potency and quality standards, clear labelling and controlled retail environments.

Regulation can also remove the risk of a young person getting a criminal record for possessing a small amount of cannabis, which can severely impact their future—limiting their education, employment and housing opportunities.

According to a poll commissioned by Penington Institute, two-thirds (67%) of Victorians agree that a regulated cannabis market for adults would provide greater protection for young people by controlling access, reducing exposure to criminal networks and enforcing product safety. 

Since Canada moved to a regulated cannabis model in 2018, there has been no significant increase in use among young people or heavy users. Cannabis is already the most used illicit drug. Decades of anti-cannabis laws have landed tens of thousands of Australians with criminal records but have done little to stop people from using it.  

Almost half of all Australian adults (42%) have used cannabis in their lifetime. A conservative estimate is that more than one in 10 (12%) have used cannabis in the past year.

Regulation means we can choose where and when cannabis can be sold and to whom, including strict laws banning the sale of any cannabis products to under-18s.  

Safe cannabis regulation means regulated cannabis products would be sold in plain packaging. No advertising of cannabis products would be allowed.  

Cannabis poses fewer health risks than alcohol or tobacco. However, cannabis use is not risk-free. Cannabis can affect brain development and judgment, particularly for people who use it frequently, start using it at a young age or have prior health issues.  

A tightly controlled and regulated cannabis market can limit the potency and ingredients of licensed products.  Research suggests that capping potency can limit the harms linked to using high-potency products.  

Public education campaigns must also be part of a regulated cannabis model to improve understanding of the health risks of cannabis.  

There is an ongoing scientific debate about the effects of heavy cannabis use on mental health.  

Research in the US suggests that there has not been a rise in psychosis-related diagnoses (including schizophrenia) in states with regulated adult-use cannabis markets.  

People who have been advised by a medical professional to avoid cannabis or who may be predisposed to certain mental health conditions should not use cannabis.  

A regulated cannabis market will encourage open and honest public and private discussions about cannabis and mental health, supported by comprehensive education.  

There is no clear evidence of a causal connection between cannabis use and subsequent consumption of more dangerous drugs, despite considerable research over many years.  

Only a small minority of cannabis users subsequently become regular users of higher-risk drugs.  

A safely regulated market means people who buy cannabis no longer need to interact with illicit drug dealers who also sell more dangerous drugs.  

No. Safely regulated cannabis means driving while impaired by cannabis would remain illegal.  

Nobody should drive while impaired by any substance, including alcohol or prescription medications.  

In Canada, the number of people who say they drive after using cannabis has significantly declined following the introduction of a regulated cannabis model in 2018.

Separating the two systems brings greater clarity and integrity to both. A legal and carefully regulated cannabis market for adults would be focused on non-medical, personal use by adults, while medicinal cannabis would continue to be available for patients through doctors and dispensed by pharmacies under current health regulations.

Importantly, this separation removes the incentive for people to seek medicinal cannabis without a genuine health need, helping to ensure the medicinal system is used appropriately and that doctors can focus on patients who truly require medical treatment.

Retailers in a legal adult-use market would be subject to a separate licensing process and operate under distinct regulations tailored to non-medical use.

Penington Institute is an independent policy research non-profit committed to freedom from serious drug harms. Penington Institute is engaging the community to develop a regulatory framework for safe cannabis access for adults.