Imagine you hold religious or personal beliefs where using cannabis is a core part of your spiritual practice. Under this law, instead of risking legal trouble, adults can apply for an official licence from the Ministry responsible for faith-based affairs. This licence acts like a special permit that lets you grow a small number of plants at home and carry limited amounts in permitted public places for your personal belief-based use.
This bill creates a licensing system for adults (age 18 and older) who use cannabis for religious, spiritual, or freedom of conscience reasons.
With a licence, an adult can legally:
- Carry up to 56 grams of cannabis (or 15 grams of cannabis resin) in permitted public places.
- Smoke cannabis in designated public smoking areas.
- Cultivate up to 5 cannabis plants in a secured area inside their private residence.
Even if you have a licence, cannabis is strictly forbidden in several public locations, including:
- Schools, school buses, and educational institutions
- Hospitals and health centers
- Government and statutory corporation offices and vehicles
- Police stations, defence force camps, and prisons
- Community centers and churches (unless specifically permitted by law)
- Regular Licence: Valid for 2 years and includes an official ID card with your photo. The application fee is $100.
- Temporary Licence: Valid for up to 7 days and can be issued on the day you apply. The application fee is $300.
- Fee Waiver: All licence application fees are suspended for the first 6 months after this law comes into force.
Your licence application can be refused if you have been diagnosed with a mental illness, received treatment for substance abuse, or been convicted of drug, arms, or human trafficking.
A licence can be revoked if you expose minors or vulnerable people to cannabis, get convicted of a crime, receive 3 or more tickets for smoking outside designated areas, or lied on your application. If your licence is revoked, you cannot apply for a new one for 2 years.
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