news, national

Labor is concerned federal parliamentarians are treating the territories as "second-class citizens" as a row continues to simmer over the ACT legalising recreational cannabis use. Federal cabinet ministers have slammed the new laws, sparking warnings marijuana users could still get burnt by federal laws. Liberal backbencher Julian Leeser, who is the chair of the parliamentary Friends of Suicide Prevention, doesn't support it. "I'm very concerned about the medical evidence that we have heard in relation to increased psychosis as a result of long-term cannabis use, particularly for young people," he told ABC television on Saturday. "This law has been rushed. The AMA is opposed to it. I think that we should be cautious about it." He said the Attorney-General is considering a response, particularly because the Australian Federal Police are responsible for policing in the ACT. "There's an interplay at both federal and territory laws here and people should be very careful, as he said, before they go and think, "well, you can have your couple of plants and have your 50 grams because of the interplay of the two laws," he said. Labor frontbencher Andrew Giles said it's a matter that should be within the powers of the ACT government. "I think as a federal parliamentarians we should be cautious about doing things about treating business in the ACT and the Northern Territory as second class citizens," he told ABC television. "Too often, we've seen national governments step in and tell residents of the territories what to do and what not to do." Australian Associated Press

https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-feed-data/66cb1cf7-3dbf-44b9-87fd-cc12b3e2a4b8.jpg/r0_74_800_526_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg