Why Cannabis Legalisation in Australia Is Still Stuck—Despite Public Support

Abstract: This working paper updates Sullivan’s 2020 analysis, "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Puff, Puff, Pass! A deep dive into the legal dope debate down under," by contrasting shifting public sentiment with persistent legislative stagnation. Drawing on the latest Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) National Drug Strategy Household Survey data (AIHW, 2025), this paper highlights a critical disconnect: Public Normalisation: Support for personal legalisation has hit 45%, eclipsing opposition for the first time, while 80% of Australians now oppose criminalising possession. Broadening Demographics: Cannabis use is increasingly embedded in Australian life, with lifetime exposure reaching a record 41%. The user profile has evolved, showing a closing gender gap and significant growth among older adults, contrasting with declining usage among 14–17-year-olds. Policy Stagnation: Despite these trends, formal policy remains largely frozen, with the ACT’s decriminalisation model functioning as an isolated outlier rather than a systemic catalyst. The paper argues that institutional inertia—rather than a lack of public appetite—continues to obstruct reform. It calls for a new research focus that bridges the gap between population-level data and the lived experiences of those navigating current prohibition. Keywords: Cannabis, Drug Policy, Australia Citation: Sullivan, J. J. (2026). Why Cannabis Legalisation in Australia Is Still Stuck—Despite Public Support: A Follow-up to the 2020 Twitter Content Analysis. [Working Paper] Zenodo.https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20439441