The introduction of the new laws will save lives according to Premier Colin Barnett who said the “soft on drugs” approach by the previous government had “left lives ruined”.

But the prohibitive legislation has the potential to “devastate” a local couple who make much of their living selling cannabis-related products.

For 13 years Sharon Chapman and her partner Barry Cameron have run the Hemp Shop in Smart Street Mall.

Until now the pair has never had a problem with the law, but the new legislation, which Ms Chapman referred to as “ludicrous”, has the potential to turn the business owners into criminals overnight.

“We are very upset and disappointed,” Ms Chapman said.

“These laws are taking us back to the dark ages.

“They are taking away our freedom.”

The new laws will make it illegal for cannabis smoking implements to be sold to anyone, including adults, and anyone who breaches the law will face fines up to $10,000.

Under current legislation the Hemp Shop is allowed to sell the implements to adults only.

As such, Ms Chapman and Mr Cameron have gone to great lengths to ensure juveniles are restricted from the section of the store with such items on display.

“We have never sold smoking implements to kids,” Ms Chapman said.

“Nobody under 18 can come into the restricted area unless they are accompanied by a consenting adult.

“It’s all legal and we’ve never had any trouble before.”

Ms Chapman said she believed the new laws were hypocritical and ignored the fact that while thousands of people died each year from tobacco, alcohol and pharmaceutical drugs, deaths from cannabis use were, to her knowledge, non-existent.

“All this will do is drive cannabis onto the black market even more,” she said.

“It’s not going to stop anyone from smoking it.”

In announcing the new laws Mr Barnett said the legislation was the first in a “series of steps the Government would take to send a clear anti-drugs message to the community and toughen penalties for people who broke the law through drug-related offences”.