19 November 2025
Every year in Victoria, almost 4,000 people are arrested for possession of cannabis. Discriminatory policing means First Nations people are eight times more likely than non-indigenous people to be arrested.
FLS has long called for the decriminalisation of cannabis, informed by over 20 years of working in drug outreach. Through our work with community, we have not only witnessed but sought to lessen the harmful impacts of policing on people who use drugs.
Far too often, we see low-level cannabis charges trap our clients in cycles of hardship. This disrupts rehabilitation, increases stigma, and imposes immense stress and financial strain.
All the while, criminalisation has been shown to have minimal impact on rates of cannabis use and possession.
Despite the overwhelming evidence, and the Inquiry into Personal Adult Use of Cannabis recommending decriminalisation, the Victorian Government has refused the call to decriminalise.
We urge the Government to reconsider this decision, and be on the side of evidence, health-based responses, harm-reduction, and equality.
