Legalise Cannabis Party’s Kiama candidate Don Fuggle believes that Australia and its states are behind much of the world when it comes to laws around cannabis.

The by-election hopeful wants voters to know that he is advocating for what he deems is a modern-day civil rights issue.

“I think it [the legalisation of cannabis] is a step for civil rights, to recognise that people do have the right to choose and body autonomy is a choice,” Fuggle said.

“You can’t find a product that is more misinformed than cannabis. It has been called the devil’s weed but this has proven to be not true. It still has stigma around it.”

A pertinent issue Fuggle sees is the Road Transport Amendment (medicinal cannabis-exemptions from offences) Bill 2025, which has been adjourned.

“There is no technology for testing impairment, but there’s plenty of scientific evidence that after a number of certain hours, you’re not intoxicated by cannabis,” Fuggle said.

Fuggle is of the opinion that “when” cannabis is legalised, there should be an age limit.

“We need to look after our children,” Fuggle said.

“I was brought up in the alcohol world and I was allowed to drink from quite a young age and I don’t think that was good for me.

“I’d agree at a minimum 18, and then you can make a choice.

“If we moved it out of the criminal justice system into the health and education, we’d save so much money to start with and we’d be able to educate children.”

In the Impact of the Regulatory Framework for Cannabis in NSW inquiry, which was chaired by Legalise Cannabis MLC Jeremy Buckingham, there were nine recommendations and 20 findings.

The Bugle asked if there should be different rules around how cannabis is cultivated and Fuggle was optimistically honest.

“When it becomes legalised, then proper description [cultivation of product], you’ll know what you are getting,” he said.

“But we can be out there and it becomes a health and education issue.

“So we educate people, educate growers, educate everyone.

“At the moment it is all in the hands of the black market [recreational use], so people can sell cannabis laced with stuff.”

Within the by-election campaign, Fuggle doesn’t see himself as an outlier among the candidates but just doing the right thing campaigning with the cannabis law.

“I suppose that is what sets us apart. Although it can look like we’re a single issue, it’s really bigger issues about civil rights and things like that."