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TASMANIA could grow its economy by legalising cannabis, same-sex marriage and voluntary euthanasia, according to Tasmanian Nationals Braddon candidate Ken Dorsey. This could bring tourism to the state and give it a point of difference to other destinations, he said. The state should research whether these measures would be viable, he said. "Tasmania has to do something different to cutting down trees and digging holes,'' Mr Dorsey said. "We need new industry. "If we don't do something different here, we'll continue to have a decline in wages. "Make the Spirit [of Tasmania] the Love Boat.'' Tasmania's attractions were not enough to convince many tourists to pay travel fares, he said. Moral issues surrounding legalising cannabis, same-sex marriage and voluntary euthanasia were less important than the business this would bring, Mr Dorsey said. "We all have different moral compasses.'' Police resources could be freed from detecting and preventing petty drug-related crime if cannabis was legalised, Mr Dorsey said. It could boost government revenue, he said. "Should Mexican drug lords be the only ones getting rich on [the cannabis trade]?'' Tasmania's government could increase hospital beds and grow police resources using cannabis-related revenue, he said. "Maybe we could fix some hospitals.'' Mr Dorsey admitted legalising cannabis could lead to an increase in its related health problems. "We have problems everywhere. Is it [government's] job to maintain people's moral standards?'' Cannabis is legalised in the Netherlands, and last May Colorado became the first US state to legalise the drug for recreational use. Colorado budget numbers predicted that marijuana taxes could add more than $100 million a year to state revenue. Mr Dorsey admitted to smoking cannabis in his 20s. "I've never been drunk or high around my children,'' he said. He said Tasmania could allow people to buy small quantities of the drug and use it in private. Policy and research officer at the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Council David Gardiner encouraged the Tasmanian government to consider drug law reform, including decriminalising or legalising cannabis use. However, he said cannabis's health and social impact were more important to consider than economic benefits from its legalisation in considering law reform.

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