Plea For Cannabis Use

Only Form Of Pain Relief - Amputee

Frail amputee Barry Stone yesterday pleaded to MPs to relax cannabis laws to allow him relief from excruciating and unrelenting pain.

Mr Stone, a convicted cannabis user, fronted up yesterday to a parliamentary inquiry to support decriminalising cannabis, in particular for medical use. ...

Full Article

----

Inquiry shows urgent need for medicinal marijuana law change

Green MP Nandor Tanczos said that after only two days, the evidence presented to the Select Committee Inquiry into Cannabis showed the laws prohibiting medicinal marijuana must be changed immediately. ...

Full Article

----

Time To Get Real On Cannabis Issue, Says United Future

United Future leader, Hon Peter Dunne says it is time to get real on the cannabis issue, and replace all the emotionalism surrounding it with plain common-sense.

Presenting United Future's submission to the Health Committee inquiry into cannabis this afternoon, Mr Dunne told Committee members that as a parent of teenagers, he was worried at the pressure young people faced about drugs.

"When I hear the stories, from the teenagers themselves and also their parents, about their experiences and fears, I become more concerned."

"Good, decent kids from good, decent families are having their lives turned upside down by cannabis, which, it seems, is now almost more available than alcohol," Mr Dunne said.

Mr Dunne was critical of the mixed messages on the cannabis issue he saw coming from the Government.

"We are very suspicious this present inquiry is no more than a thin political smokescreen to decriminalise cannabis and we deplore the lack of leadership from the Prime Minster and the Minister of Health who, despite promoting strong views against tobacco, are not nearly as outspoken on the use of cannabis. "

"There are mixed signals everywhere - no wonder young people are confused," he said.

Mr Dunne told the Committee he agreed with those who promote decriminalisation is that the current law is not working.

"But decriminalisation will not work either - if the law is not working, you do not make it work by getting rid of it."

"Rather, you make the changes needed to make things work," Mr Dunne said.

United Future's submission called for:

* No change in the current legal status of cannabis, but with people under the age of 20 years apprehended for personal for the first time to be given the option of appropriate education and treatment, rather than conviction by the court.

* The introduction of tougher penalties for drug dealing, including cannabis, especially where selling to persons under 20 years is involved.

* A comprehensive education and treatment strategy be introduced relating to all aspects of the use and misuse of drugs in contemporary society.

Mr Dunne said making it clear that cannabis use is unacceptable was an important message to give young people, but it needed to be reinforced through clear policy.

"We owe it to our children to stand up for their future."

"Now is the time for all of us who share that commitment to come together to make sensible decisions on the cannabis issue, because on issues like this we only have one chance to get it right."

"As a parent and a politician, I stand four square for our children, and I hope the select committee will do so too," Mr Dunne said.

ENDS

----

Cannabis Stance Confusing - Dunne

Ohariu Belmont MP Peter Dunne has accused Prime Minister Helen Clark and Health Minister Annette King of giving mixed messages on cannabis - and says it's no wonder young people are confused.

The United Future New Zealand leader gave his submission at Wednesday's select committee hearing into cannabis laws.

Mr Dunne said the current law was not working, but decriminalisation would not work either. He said there should be no change in the legal status of the drug. ...

Full Article

End The War On Cannabis, Select Committee Told

Parliamentary Submission

Libertarianz Party

Last night Libertarianz Deputy Richard McGrath told a parliamentary select committe exactly why his party supports an immediate end to the War on Drugs.

Watched by an enthusuastic group of Libertarianz supporters - and a notably less enthusuastic group of MPs - McGrath told the committee "If this parliament is serious about reducing the morbidity of drug-related activity, the crucial step it must take is to legalise the use of cannabis and all other drugs, eliminate government involvement in the health industry where it has no rightful business, and shut down the health ministry before it does further damage.

"...Suffice to say that the War on Drugs consumes vast and inappropriate amounts of taxpayer money; it allows criminals to profit from manufacturing and selling overpriced, poor quality merchandise; and it provides incentive for corruption within the law enforcement sector.

"...As someone who does not use marijuana for recreational purposes, I am not looking for an overhaul of cannabis laws to legitimise or justify my own behaviour.

"The problem I do have with anti-drug laws is the threat they represent to the liberty of those peace-loving people who wish to use drugs for their own pleasure and relaxation."

----

Drug Easing Acceptable

Wellington: Partial decriminalisation of cannabis would be acceptable, providing it could be shown no increased harm would result, the Medical Association told a parliamentary committee this week.

Association chairman John Adams said partial decriminalisation might mean reducing or changing the penalties for small amounts of cannabis possession.

"We believe that drug addiction is more of a social and health problem than a criminal problem. ...

Full Article