{"id":2869,"date":"2021-05-21T13:15:07","date_gmt":"2021-05-21T03:15:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/union-says-legalize-cannabis\/"},"modified":"2025-11-10T12:45:26","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T01:45:26","slug":"union-says-legalize-cannabis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/union-says-legalize-cannabis\/","title":{"rendered":"Union Says \u2013 Legalize Cannabis!?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><em><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">Legal marijuana push gathers steam in Victoria \u2013 with powerful union urging government to raise huge amounts by taxing the drug<\/span><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><em>A powerful health union are pushing for Victoria to legalise recreation cannabis&nbsp;<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><em>The&nbsp;Health and Community Services Union want Victoria to grow and sell weed&nbsp;<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><em>They argue the billions in tax revenue could be spend on social services&nbsp;<\/em><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Attention <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.co.uk\/news\/article-9599187\/Legal-marijuana-push-gains-ground-Victoria.html?ito=native_share_article-masthead\">Grabbing Headline<\/a> with \u2018arguments\u2019 that are not only nothing but overused \u2018memes\u2019 but that have been proven faulty and, in some instances, utter failures in the <em><a href=\"https:\/\/scholar.google.com.au\/scholar?q=cannabis+induced+psychosis&amp;hl=en&amp;as_sdt=0&amp;as_vis=1&amp;oi=scholart\">real world<\/a><\/em>. But hey, let\u2019s not let facts get in the way of \u2018good sound-byte\u2019? (<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LeviJParsons87\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/LeviJParsons87\">https:\/\/twitter.com\/LeviJParsons87<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Mantras and messages that sound \u2018logical\u2019 (especially to the time poor and pop-culture weary and majority non-weed using citizen) but have no basis in purported outcomes are all part of the Pro-pot <a href=\"https:\/\/smokescreenmovie.org\/\">propaganda process<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-2539\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SmokescreenOnlyWEED.png\" alt=\"SmokescreenOnlyWEED\" width=\"553\" height=\"410\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SmokescreenOnlyWEED.png 674w, https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/SmokescreenOnlyWEED-300x223.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 553px) 100vw, 553px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">You will note in the article the classic mix-messaging with \u2018decriminalisation, legalisation, commercialisation\u2019 terms and\/or ideas all thrown into the superficial narrative. Again, that is the idea \u2013 create hazy definitions and generate dubious impressions to get the uniformed thinking \u2018positively\u2019 about legalising weed as an option. And, of course, throw in the term \u2018medical\u2019 and you have people ponding the possibilities of what might be?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Yet, a simple spelunking of the already overwhelming data on just the small sample of evidence below, would inform any caring community, family, and children well-being focused individual, that this is not only a bad idea, but a failed one,<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li data-mce-word-list=\"1\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Failed promises of revenue \u2013 utterly \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dfaf.org\/economic-and-social-costs-of-legalized-marijuana\/\">net deficits all round<\/a>, not including blow outs in escalating health costs. <\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><em>(\u201cFor every dollar gained in tax revenue, Coloradans spent approximately $4.50 to mitigate the effects of legalization.\u201d).<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li data-mce-word-list=\"1\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Continuing and increasing black market, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/CCTour-_And_then_there_were_three_Markets24-01-20.pdf\">adding of a third \u2018grey market\u2019<\/a>.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li data-mce-word-list=\"1\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>The lack of evidence of anyone being <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/SubmissionOnCannabisBill2018Final.pdf\">\u2018locked up\u2019 for simply using cannabis is breathtaking<\/a> <\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">(<em>\u201cIn total, one tenth of one percent (0.1 percent) of all state prisoners were marijuana possession offenders with no prior sentences.\u201d <\/em>Bureau of Justice Stats) However, it is what the cannabis user does whilst on the drug that gets the criminal charges.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li data-mce-word-list=\"1\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>The failing and grossly misrepresented <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/portugal-report\/\">Portugal policy<\/a>.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li data-mce-word-list=\"1\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>The <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/frTwOMw8lyo\">public health disaster<\/a> that greater cannabis use brings.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li data-mce-word-list=\"1\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>Growing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/celebrating-earth-day-by-cultivating-climate-destroying-cannabis-4\/\">Environmental Disaster<\/a> and the escalating costs with increasing use.<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">It is time the truth of the short- and long-term harms of Cannabis were as promoted as robustly as the harms of tobacco \u2013 harms that go way beyond the litany of physical harms, but also add the devastating <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/csHvC00vtgs\">psychological harms<\/a> that profoundly, and often permanently, impact individuals, their families and the community. An already mental health crisis blown wide open.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\">If you want to go beyond the \u2018sound-byte\u2019, for more evidence, not theory, check out\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/2020-Impact-Report.pdf\">Lessons Learned from States Marijuana Legalization<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/cannabis-impact-reports-for-california-colorado-2020\/\">Cannabis Impact Report \u2013 Colorado &amp; California<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/smokescreenmovie.org\/\">Smokescreen Documentary<\/a> <\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/cannabis-resource-library\/\">Cannabis Conundrum Resource Library<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><em>Research &amp; Communications Team \u2013 Dalgarno Institute<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Legal marijuana push gathers steam in Victoria \u2013 with powerful union urging government to raise huge amounts by taxing the drug A powerful health union are pushing for Victoria to legalise recreation cannabis&nbsp; The&nbsp;Health and Community Services Union want Victoria to grow and sell weed&nbsp; They argue the billions in tax revenue could be spend [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2539,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2869","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-next-phase-platform"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2869","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2869"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2869\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2539"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2869"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2869"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dalgarnoinstitute.org.au\/wp_site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2869"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}