Press Releases

Viewing Category: Law Reform

  • Norml president surveys MPs

    posted on the March 6th, 2012 by Julian

    The National Organisation for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (Norml) is conducting a survey of all members of Parliament. Norml president Julian Crawford sent the following survey to MPs along with stamped self addressed envelopes. “It is important for our membership to know where each and every MP stands on cannabis and hemp related issues,” [...]

  • Medical Cannabis Laws Have No Discernable Adverse Impact On Adolescents’ Pot Use

    posted on the February 14th, 2012 by norml

    by Paul Armentano, US NORML Deputy Director The enactment of state laws allowing for the limited legal use of cannabis by qualified patients has little to no causal effect on broader marijuana use, according to data published online in the journal Annals of Epidemiology. Investigators at McGill University in Montreal obtained state-level estimates of marijuana [...]

  • Canada’s Liberal Party votes to legalise

    posted on the January 18th, 2012 by norml

    Canada’s Liberal Party, the country’s oldest registered political party, has overwhelmingly adopted a policy of supporting the regulation and taxation of cannabis commerce, something New Zealand’s conservative government should also consider. The Liberals have often been the governing party in Canada, and have previously attempted several times to introduce legislation to legalise, regulate and tax [...]

  • Ban on Low Risk Drugs should be Temporary, says NORML

    posted on the August 2nd, 2011 by Phil

    Drug law reform organisation NORML says the government’s temporary ban on synthetic cannabis provides time for proper consideration of the Law Commission’s report issued in May. “Low risk drugs like cannabis and party pills should be regulated, not banned”, says Acting President Phil Saxby. “The huge popularity of party pills before they were banned is [...]

  • Law Commission report: Driving Problems Underground is not the Answer

    posted on the May 4th, 2011 by Phil

    Drug law reform organisation NORML says the Law Commission’s report issued today is still within the prohibition mindset, even though it contains some good recommendations. Banning more substances, as proposed, will only drive problems underground, says Acting President Phil Saxby. “The Commission accepts that NZ should shift the focus towards health solutions and away from [...]

  • Law Commission report agrees: “Too Many Smokers to Arrest!”

    posted on the May 3rd, 2011 by Phil

    Drug Law Reform organisation NORML finds some recognition from the Law Commission of its current slogan, “Too many smokers to arrest!” “The Law Commission says 400,000 Kiwis use cannabis each year (14.7% of adults), which supports our campaign theme of “Too many smokers to arrest,” says NORML Acting President Phil Saxby. The Law Commission argues [...]

  • Restore Public Trust in Police – Stop Criminalising Cannabis

    posted on the January 20th, 2011 by norml

    The New Zealand public needs to have its confidence restored in the police and the quickest way for that to happen is to stop criminalising cannabis. “The announcement this week of Police Commissioner Rob Pope’s resignation signals a healthy change in the nature of Police culture,” said NORML NZ President Stephen McIntyre today. “But over [...]

  • New Police Policy of ‘Two Strikes’ Will Hit Maori Hard

    posted on the December 13th, 2010 by norml

    NORML NZ says a new police programme whereby first-time offenders caught committing minor crimes are being let off with a warning will hit young male Maori hard, calling it a policy of ‘two strikes and you’re out’. “We already know that Maori in general, but young male Maori in particular, are more likely to be [...]