Hansard debates

  Conclusion
  I consider that this bill is compatible with  the Charter  of Human Rights and
  Responsibilities Act 2006.
   Hon. Mary Wooldridge, MP
  Minister for Mental Health
Second reading

  Ms WOOLDRIDGE (Minister for Mental Health) -- I move:
  That this bill be now read a second time.

The Baillieu  government is committed to protecting the health  and wellbeing of
all Victorians. Before the election of the coalition government by the Victorian
people last year a pledge was  made  to  prohibit  retailers from displaying and
selling  bongs,  bong components  and  bong  kits. This  bill  delivers on  that
commitment.
It has long been a contradiction in policy that cannabis is an illicit substance
in Victoria and yet one of the 

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commonly used  mechanisms for consuming cannabis  has been widely  available for
purchase.
Thirty per cent of Victorians aged 14 years and over reported use of cannabis at
some stage in their lifetime, making cannabis the most  widely used illicit drug
in Victoria.
Recent cannabis use is highest in young  people aged  14-24 years and those aged
25-34 years.
This  is  particularly concerning  when  research  has also  identified  that an
estimated  one  in every  three  regular  cannabis  users  may  develop  a  drug
addiction.
The health risks of cannabis use are well known.

In  2010  ambulance attendances in metropolitan Melbourne relating  to  cannabis
increased by 9 per cent from 2009, with 887 attendances.
Cannabis-related hospital admissions also increased in that time and half of all
Victorian drug-related arrests were for cannabis use and possession, an increase
on the previous year.
There are also increased risks to personal mental health from cannabis use, with
research  indicating that cannabis use is associated with  increased risk in the
development of mental illness.
Research published earlier this year finds that cannabis plays a causal  role in
the  development  of schizophrenia and psychosis  disorders  in  some  substance
users.

The research paper titled Cannabis  Use and Earlier Onset  of Psychosis outlined
that stopping or reducing cannabis use could prevent psychosis in some people.
For  young  people  there is a greater likelihood of developing a mental  health
problem such as depression, psychosis and anxiety if they initiate into cannabis
use  early in life and  use  at high levels. Adolescence  is already known as  a
period of  high risk  for the  development of mental illness, so it is therefore
critical  to  make  every  effort to restrict exposure to illicit drugs such  as
cannabis at this time.
It is also known  that  using a bong --  or  cannabis water pipe -- is  the most
common method for consuming cannabis in regular cannabis users aged 12-17 years.
This bill  will restrict  access to  this method by  banning the  sale of  bongs
through retail outlets.

Banning the sale of bongs will reinforce the message that it is illegal to smoke
cannabis and further discourage its use.
Attention is now drawn to the detailed provisions of the bill.
The bill amends the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981.
The amendments to this act will commence on 1 January 2012.
Definitions
The amendments to the  act  focus  on  cannabis  water  pipes, commonly known as
bongs, and hookahs. The bill bans  the sale  of bongs and bong components, which
are individual parts that can be used to create a bong.

Bong kits will also  be prohibited from sale and display. By banning the display
and sale  of bongs, bong components and bong kits a consistent response is being
adopted with regards to  the availability of drug  paraphernalia. Ice pipes  and
cocaine  kits, both apparatus used  to consume illicit drugs,  have already been
banned from sale in Victoria.
A hookah  is differentiated from a  bong generally by its use,  which is for the
inhalation of  a mixture of  tobacco,  molasses, fruit and  flavouring. However,
hookahs are generally larger in size than  bongs and  often have  more than  one
hose  and hose  opening, as  they are commonly used for communal smoking  with a
number of participants.
Offences

It will be an offence to  display and sell bongs, bong  components and bong kits
in retail outlets. A retail outlet for the purposes of this legislation includes
markets as well as shops.
Currently, bongs are widely available at a large number of retail outlets across
Victoria, with retailers displaying  shelves of bongs in  their windows for sale
throughout the city and our suburbs.
By making the display and  sale of bongs illegal  they will be removed from  the
shelves of shops and  out of shop windows.  Bongs will no longer be  visible nor
available as a retail item. This will stop the confusing message to young people
that  while it  is okay to display and sell equipment used for smoking cannabis,
it is illegal to smoke cannabis.
Hookahs

It is not the intention of this bill to restrict the sale of the subset of water
pipes  such as hookahs and shishas that are used for smoking  tobacco  products.
These  pipes, often used by  Arabic and Middle Eastern  communities for cultural
purposes, will be exempt  from  the ban, though  there  will be a limit  on  the
number that can be displayed for sale in retail outlets.

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It  will  be an offence to display for sale  more than three hookahs in a retail
outlet.
The decision to restrict the display of hookahs was made to limit the visibility
of  water  pipes to the  general  public as a means  of  reducing the uptake  of
tobacco smoking and in response to the health risks associated with it.
A  number of representatives  from  Middle Eastern  and  Arabic communities were
consulted in the preparation of this bill, particularly in relation to the limit
on the  display of  hookahs, and  there was  support for  the restriction on the
display of hookahs.
Enforcement

Victoria Police will enforce the amendments to  this  act  in  line  with  their
existing powers under the act in relation to other drug paraphernalia.
Communication
A communication strategy has been developed to provide information to retailers,
consumers  and the general  public on  the new  offences. This  will also  be an
opportunity to reinforce to young people, families and the broader community the
facts about the harms that can be caused by smoking cannabis.
This  bill delivers on  an election commitment by  the Baillieu government.  The
bill demonstrates  the  government's  clear commitment to preventing drug uptake
and  abuse and sending clear messages to the community that illicit drug  use is
harmful to health and wellbeing and will not be supported by the government.

I commend the bill to the house.
Debate adjourned on motion of Mr DONNELLAN (Narre Warren North).
Debate adjourned until Wednesday, 14 September.