Can cannabis be successfully regulated in Australia?

Published on July 15, 2025
Regulations around cannabis have come a long way in Australia, with medicinal cannabis now legal in every jurisdiction, and recreational use decriminalised in the ACT. In a recent NSW upper house inquiry, six of the seven committee members backed the decriminalisation of cannabis use and possession, and ultimately a move towards a regulated, legalised cannabis market. But if Australian states are to head down this road, what is best practice? And what are the lessons to be learned from the US, Canada Europe, and Thailand?  Guest: John Ryan, CEO, Penington Institute