EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
PUBLIC HEALTH (PROHIBITED DRUGS) ORDINANCE 1975
No. 37 of 1975

		The Public Health (Prohibited Drugs) Ordinance 1975 will amend the A.C.T. Public Health (Prohibited Drugs) Ordinance 1957-1975 by adding definitions for cannabis and cannabis resin and will add tetrahydrocannabinal to the schedule of substances that are prohibited drugs to obviate difficulties that arose in recent Court actions relating to the use and possession of cannabis.  The Ordinance will reduce the penalty for the use or possession of quantities of cannabis less than 25 grams.
		In addition the opportunity has been taken to add to the schedule of substances that are prohibited drugs four therapeutic substances (desomorphine, buniodyl sodium, triparanol and buclosamide) recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council as substances the use, manufacture, possession or sale of which should be prohibited.

Authority:	The Minister for Health
vide section 12 of the
Seat of Government
(Administration)
Act 1910-1973.