The Law Handbook 2024

Chapter 3.2: Drug offences 143 Maximum penalties for state (Victorian) drug offences Offence Jurisdiction Penalty section Imprisonment (years) Fine (penalty units) Use Cannabis Summary 75(a) – 5 Other drug Summary 75(b) 1 30 Possession Cannabis not related to trafficking Indictable, triable summarily (‘TS’) 73(1)(a) – 5 Other drug not related to trafficking Indictable, TS 73(1)(b) 1 30 Other possession Indictable. TS 73(1)(c) 5 400 Cultivation Not related to trafficking Indictable, TS 72B(a) 1 20 Other Indictable, TS 72B(b) 15 Commercial quantity Indictable 72A 25 Large commercial quantity Indictable 72 Life 5000 Trafficking Large commercial quantity Indictable 71 Life 5000 Commercial quantity Indictable 71AA(1) 25 Commercial quantity for the benefit of, or at the direction of, a criminal organisation Indictable 71AA(2) Life Other quantity Indictable, TS 71AC 15 Supply of drug to a child Indictable, TS 71B 15 1000 Trafficking to a child of a non-commercial quantity of a drug Indictable, TS 71AB(1) 20 Conspiracy to Traffic Indictable, TS 79(1) As for trafficking Cultivate Indictable, TS 79(1) As for cultivation Possess Indictable, TS 79(1) As for possession Introduction of a drug into the body of another Summary 74 1 30 Forging, altering or uttering prescription Summary 77 1 20 False representation to obtain drug, injection or prescription Summary 78 1 20 Note that as with conspiracy, the offences of ‘aid’ and ‘abet’ carry the same maximum penalties as the substantive offence. For example, conspiracy to traffic a commercial quantity of heroin has a maximum penalty of 25 years of imprisonment and a fine.