
Weed and buying marijuana in Canberra has become a hot topic in recent years. While cannabis has been decriminalised in the ACT, it is not legal to sell, supply or buy marijuana in Canberra.
There is no legal weed shop or cannabis store in Canberra, but it is no longer a criminal offence to have a small amount of weed on you.
So how are people getting their weed in Canberra? At the moment, the safest and legal way to buy marijuana in Australia is by getting approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to be prescribed medicinal cannabis.
The research and review of medicinal cannabis are still ongoing to see how effective it is as a medical treatment, but if a person is informed and the use of marijuana is deemed appropriate then they may be prescribed a schedule 8 cannabis product.
Legal Information
New Canberra Marijuana Laws
Yes, under the new laws, you can now smoke weed at home in Canberra. Though it may still be a health risk, you will not face the ACT’s justice system if you are caught. This is just one of the new changes the ACT has introduced since decriminalising cannabis in January 2020. If you are over the age of 18, there is no penalty if you are caught with 50 grams or less of dried marijuana. For fresh or “wet” marijuana you can possess up to 150 grams.
It is no longer a criminal offence to grow cannabis in the ACT so long as it is no more than 2 plants per person or 4 cannabis plants per household.
Marijuana offences in Canberra
Even though cannabis has been decriminalised in Canberra, some acts continue to remain offences. This includes selling, sharing or gifting marijuana to others. Driving while cannabis is in your system is still an illegal act and is very dangerous. If the marijuana contains THC, it can be detected in saliva tests hours after use and may be detected days or even weeks in your urine, depending on the amount and the frequency of use.
With the decriminalisation of marijuana in Canberra, new offences have been introduced. The following offences can lead to legal consequences in the ACT:
- Smoking or using marijuana in public – This includes using a THC vape pen or using marijuana when you believe no one can see you
- Exposing a young person or a child to second-hand marijuana smoke
- Leaving marijuana or storing it within reach of a child
- Growing your cannabis plants where they can be easily accessed by the public
- Using hydroponics or artificial cultivation methods to grow cannabis plants
These rules apply to the ACT, before leaving the state while possessing weed, you must know the laws of the state you are entering or could end up facing legal penalties.
Legal Access
Canberra Cannabis Access
In Canberra, you can access medical marijuana with the approval of both the TGA and the ACT Health Officer. To get these approvals you will need to consult with a medical practitioner. Together you can discuss and determine whether medicinal cannabis is appropriate for treating your condition.
Before you can decide on possibly using marijuana for medicinal purposes, you should be aware of the possible side effects that may come along with using marijuana. These side effects may include, memory impairment, increased appetite, dry mouth, anxiety, dizziness and more.
Legally Access Cannabis in Canberra
Once both yourself you and a doctor have come to a mutual decision, they will apply to the TGA and ACT Health within the same application. Unless they are an Authorised Prescriber, the doctor applies for the TGA’s Special Access Scheme (SAS). This scheme is for the approval of access to an unapproved schedule 8 medicine such as medicinal cannabis.
If a medical practitioner is an Authorised Prescriber (AP), they have been approved by the TGA to prescribe to multiple patients without the need to fill out SAS applications for individual patients. To be prescribed medical marijuana through an AP, they are still required to have the approval of the ACT Chief Health Officer for each patient. ACT Health has other added requirements for APs such as arranging proper storage, and supply and ensuring labelling requirements are met.