NT mandatory drug sentencing under fire

Four members of Darwin’s Network Against Prohibition today will hand to police signed statutory declarations admitting to the self-administration of cannabis.

Gary Meyerhoff, Rob Inder-Smith, Scott White and Stuart Highway will hand in the statements to Darwin’s police station to highlight what they say is the absurdity of Northern Territory’s drug laws.

Mr Meyerhoff admits two previous convictions for the possession of cannabis in Western Australia and an infringement notice in the NT, which says he refused to pay.

He says he wants to highlight the fact that mandatory sentencing lives on in the NT drug legislation.

“Under the current legislation, section 37 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, any second or subsequent appearance in court for a breach of the Misuse of Drugs Act gets a minimum 28-day mandatory sentence,” he said.

“I mean Clare Martin came to power and was saying there’s no mandatory sentencing in the Territory then why do we have these provisions for drug users.”

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org
Pubdate: 12th April 2002
Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Website: http://www.abc.net.au
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Copyright: 2002 Australian Broadcasting Corporation