Nearly 1500 submissions have been made to the Victorian Parliament's landmark regional inquiry into the use of cannabis, which will be held in Beechworth on Wednesday.
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The inquiry will examine how best to prevent young people from accessing cannabis, promote public health, prevent criminal activity and assess the mental and social impacts of cannabis use on people, families and carers.
It will also assess models from international jurisdictions and consider how they may be adapted for Victoria.
Gateway Health CEO Leigh Rhode and Wangaratta's Centre for Continuing Education CEO Felicity Williams will be among seven speakers at the event.
In total, 1468 submissions were made to the inquiry from individuals, and medical, legal and political groups.
The Victorian Aboriginal Legal System said it was concerned by "the over-representation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in the criminal justice system" due to low-level cannabis offences.
The organisation called for the state Government to decriminalise the possession of the drug for personal use and take "a community health-based approach to supporting the education, recovery and rehabilitation of affected individuals and communities".
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Drug Free Australia said in their submission the sale of recreational cannabis should remain illegal.
"Recreational cannabis, if legalised, would follow the same or more destructive pathway that we have endured with tobacco use and alcohol," the group wrote.
"We need to learn from the past and take note of the burgeoning issues in jurisdictions where cannabis has been legalised."
Odyssey House Victoria, which has a rehabilitation centre near Benalla said the current prohibition on cannabis was "ineffective" at preventing its use.
"It inhibits a public-health based approach to reducing the harms associated with its use and typically increases the negative consequences of use," the organisation said.
The inquiry will run from 10am to 1pm at the George Kerferd Hotel.
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Victoria Ellis
Victoria Ellis grew up on the Border and loves reporting for her home community. She is a University of Wollongong Journalism graduate. In 2018 Victoria was awarded the Bruce Gordon Scholarship for Journalism and completed a 10 week internship with WIN News Illawarra. In 2019 she was awarded The Border Mail's Cameron Thompson Scholarship, where she completed a three week internship, before taking up ongoing employment in 2021.
Victoria Ellis grew up on the Border and loves reporting for her home community. She is a University of Wollongong Journalism graduate. In 2018 Victoria was awarded the Bruce Gordon Scholarship for Journalism and completed a 10 week internship with WIN News Illawarra. In 2019 she was awarded The Border Mail's Cameron Thompson Scholarship, where she completed a three week internship, before taking up ongoing employment in 2021.
