The offender then avoids gaining a criminal conviction and a criminal record. The Premiers Drug Advisory Council in Victoria in 1996 proposed the possession, and cultivation, of an amount of cannabis for personal use should be made legal. That recommendation was not accepted by the government. According to preliminary findings from the 1998 National Drug Household Survey, 39.3 per cent of the general population aged 14 years and over, has used cannabis in their lifetime. Based on 1996 surveys, one-third of secondary students in Victoria have used it, if only once.
Regular users are fewer.
Cannabis use peaks between the ages of 20-24 years and use is higher among males than females. Although experimentation with cannabis has increased in recent years, regular users remain a small minority. All drug use carries risk of harm to the user and for others who may be affected by the user's behaviour. Cannabis users face risks due to intoxication, and physical and psychological harm, especially with heavy or long-term use. Cannabis intoxication leads to reduced concentration, slower reflexes and coordination.