New Penington Institute research shows an increasing number of Victorians are ready to move past outdated cannabis laws and adopt a safer, regulated approach.
In an interview with 9News on 10th July 2025, Penington Institute CEO John Ryan shared key insights from a recent survey of 1,500 Victorians, revealing that 57% support legalising cannabis for adult use within a strictly regulated framework.
Every demographic has more support than opposition for this sort of reform. You’d think there would be pockets of the community that would still have the old approach that we saw last century - but actually, everyone has moved on.
Currently, Victoria sees around 10,000 cannabis-related arrests each year, the majority for personal use and possession. Yet cannabis remains easily accessible – unregulated, untested and largely controlled by the criminal underworld. The community wants to legalise and safely regulate cannabis for adult personal use in Victoria.
[Illicit cannabis is] readily available, we don’t know what’s in it, and it's lining the pockets of criminal networks. The sentiment in the community is that we expect our political leaders to step up and make sensible reforms.
Penington Institute reported that the findings underscore the need for a public health-led approach to cannabis, in line with global trends and emerging evidence from jurisdictions that have already legalised and regulated the drug.
With growing public support and rising awareness of the harms of prohibition, Penington Institute is urging Victorian leaders to act – and ensure that cannabis reform becomes a matter of safety, equity, and common sense.
Penington Institute released the community polling data ahead of the release of their work developing a comprehensive model for safe cannabis regulation that keeps community safety and health central.
This interview was originally broadcast on 9 News on 10 July 2025. Listen or watch on YouTube now.