Business owners have expressed concern at their powers when drug decriminalisation laws come into effect, the ACT opposition has said, but the government has sought to reassure businesses ahead of the changes.
Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee said she had heard from business owners who were fearful they would not be able to take action if they had a drug-affected customer.
She said this included hospitality owners who were concerned about not being consulted properly and were unaware of the support available to them.
"Business owners [are] asking 'what's going to happen if someone who is under the influence of drugs comes into my premises? And what rights do I have to protect my staff and my business place if this happens'," Ms Lee said.
But Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said ACT Health was working with Access Canberra to provide information to venues and businesses about the changes.
She said the key message was that their responsibilities had not changed.
"The key message is their responsibilities but also their rights have not changed so if someone is drug affected, just as if someone is intoxicated with alcohol and is behaving badly, they have the right to remove them from the premises," Ms Stephen-Smith said.
"That reflects the reality that we already see drug use in our community, including recreational drug use by people who then also go out to clubs and other venues. So clubs and other licensed venues are already used to what the process is for dealing with people who are using illicit drugs.
"So really, in a lot of ways there's a lot of things that are not going to change substantially."
From Saturday, those caught with small amounts of illicit drugs will have to either take part in a drug diversionary program or be given a $100 fine.
Ms Lee said the Liberals still remained adamantly opposed to the laws and have re-committed to overturning them if they won next year's election.
"We remain strongly opposed to these laws and we remain strongly opposed to these laws and we have committed and we will continue to commit until the election that if re-elected in October 2024, we will repeal these laws," she said.
Ms Lee said the Liberals could not even support a tighter version of the laws, including a proposal in NSW to give people a $400 fine.
"No and the reason is because these are bad laws," she said.
Ms Lee said she was concerned about the effects of the laws on the health system.
"There's no doubt that this is going to have a huge impact on our community and we have heeded the warnings from not only law enforcement in terms of the police concerns that have been raised but also from people in the health sector who are significantly concerned about the lack of investment that this Labor-Greens government has put into our health system generally," she said.
"Anyone who has seen the effects of increased drug use in the community has very grave concerns about what this might mean for us as a community more broadly."
While Ms Lee is opposed to the laws she did not support an attempt by the federal Coalition to overturn the territory's laws, saying she supported territory rights.
The bill, introduced by federal shadow attorney-general Michaelia Cash, was defeated in the Senate last week.
The Canberra Liberals spent all of the Legislative Assembly's question time on Tuesday asking about the drug decriminalisation laws.
- Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline 1800 250 015
