 | Cannabis Inquiry: ACTION ALERT - Health Select Committee Cannabis Report |
 This is the first of our Action Alerts following the release of the Health Select Committee report on cannabis. Recent events make it essential for all NORML branches, supporters and activists to ACT NOW on the opportunity provided by the report. This Action Alert is focussed on lobbying MPs as their support is critical to getting the key recommendations of the report implemented, such as allowing medical marijuana, and having another inquiry by the Justice and Electoral Committee.
Lobby all government MPs in your area.
A list of your local MPs can be provided to you, or see these websites:
www.elections.org.nz
www.parliament.govt.nz
Why? The government must respond to the recommendations of the cannabis report within 90 days of it being tabled - which was on 8 August so that gives us intil 8 November to make a difference. It is vital that all government MPs hear from NORML directly on what the government should do about the recommendations in the report. This should happen as soon as possible.
It is an excellent opportunity to get to know your MP’s views, and take up our case. There are three issues which in particular we want the government to follow. These are:
> allowing the medicinal uses of cannabis
> re-classification review of cannabis by the Experts Advisory Committee on Drugs (EACD)
> and most important, that the Justice and Electoral Committee makes a recommendation on the legal status of cannabis.
Because we only need the government to do what its own committee recommended, we should have an easy time lobbying for these three things, and so should be able to start off with something positive.
ITS NOT NECESSARY FOR THEM TO COMMIT THEMSELVES ON WHAT THE LEGAL STATUS SHOULD BE - THAT WILL COME LATER, AFTER THE JUSTICE COMMITTEE REPORTS!
Therefore, avoid getting into strife with MPs at this early stage. Remember - we finally have the Health report after three years, and our task now is to get the most mileage out of it that we can.
 Your Lobby Checklist:
Think local: take clippings from the local newspaper (see www.mapinc.org/nz.htm for local news stories). Present the issues to your MP in local terms - estimate the number of adult cannabis users in his/her electorate or city/district, for example (use 300,000 nationwide = 4,500 in the average electorate will use cannabis this year). Or estimate the number of medicinal users - we may be able to help you with this.
Tell the MP you want to talk about the government’s response to the Health Select Committee, and when you meet the MP, leave them a brief written letter to summarise what you want and why. Again, we can help you with this, or use the information below to start.
Treat the MP as your representative, regardless of party, but remember the MP also represents thousands of other voters who may have different views. Feel free to debate, but don’t get argumentative or aggressive! There is nothing to be gained by trying to force the issue at this stage.
Take along brief, easily understood information to support your case - such as a newspaper clipping or web report on the Dutch medicinal cannabis programme which started this month. See www.norml.org.nz for ideas. Don’t overload your MP.
We need to make it clear from the outset that the HSC was very careful to only make recommendations that are possible within the agreement that the Government has with the United Future party. We just want them to support the HSC recommendations, and are not asking them to introduce legislation to change the legal status (yet).
Reasons why the MP should support prescription of approved cannabis medicines
This is the least controversial aspect of the cannabis report. Recent opinion polls indicate that the vast majority of voters would approve of the Government acting compassionately to remove perhaps the worst aspect of the current approach - denying sick and dying people a medicine that could dramatically improve their well-being and quality of life.
Cannabis medicines were legal and used in New Zealand up to about the 1920's, and are used today or about to be approved in the US, Canada, Netherlands, UK and NSW. The Government has already said it will look favourably at GW's sprays once they are approved in the UK.
Reasons why the MP should support a priority examination of the classification by EACD
An examination by the EACD is necessary to deal with the question of the medicinal use of cannabis.
The Health Select Committee report questioned whether the current classification is appropriate, particularly as it affects police powers of search. (The Committee found that the main impact of present enforcement policies was felt by Maori youth.)
In any case, the Committee has a prime responsibility to examine cannabis simply because of all drugs on the classification system, cannabis is by far the most widely used.
A review by scientists and other experts on the EACD committee will be a helpful step in resolving the problems associated with the current cannabis laws.
Reasons why the MP should support an inquiry into the legal status of cannabis by the Justice and Electoral Committee:
It was Labour Party policy from 1999 to hold an inquiry into the most appropriate legal status of cannabis. The Health Select Committee has left this question unresolved. No matter what MP's personal thoughts on this are, the Government should keep its promise to hold an inquiry during this term of Parliament.
Use these arguments to write your MP a letter. Better still, phone their office and leave a brief message and/or arrange for a meeting during their weekly constituency clinics (these are usually every Saturday).
You can find more information about the report on our cannabis inquiry page
Please contact Norml HQ or your local Norml branch for more information, advice and support.
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