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New UMR poll shows overwhelming support for medical cannabis law change, says NORML
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POLLS CONFIRM MOST NEW ZEALANDERS WANT CANNABIS LAW REFORM
Support for cannabis law reform continues to increase, with the latest UMR poll showing overwhelming support for medicinal cannabis law change – and the lowest level of opposition (12%) ever recorded in a New Zealand cannabis poll. A Drug Foundation-Curia poll in August 2016 also found two-thirds of Kiwis want to end criminal penalties for cannabis possession, and up to 82% support for medical use. Other recent polls include a TVNZ poll (12 April 2016) showing “the majority of New Zealanders are now in favour of the use of medical marijuana”; UMR poll (31 March 2016) showing 72% “support the use of marijuana for medical purposes” with only 13% opposed. Read more NZ cannabis opinion polls here.
MEDICINAL CANNABIS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Check out our section on medicinal cannabis. NORML is New Zealand’s oldest law reform organisation, and one of our three primary goals is to facilitate safe legal access for patients using cannabis medicinally. As Australia prepares to approve medicinal cannabis products, an important legal case has confirmed patients can bring a one-month supply from any country where it has been legally supplied. Rebecca Reider has written a guide explaining how to bring medicinal cannabis into New Zealand, legally. There are currently two petitions we recommend you sign to support medicinal cannabis in New Zealand:
- It’s Medicine (Rose Renton) – “New Zealanders urgently need access to safe, affordable, quality medicinal cannabis…” Download the petition here, find a place where you can sign it, or go to Change.org to sign online. This will go to Nelson MP Damian O’Connor.
- Otamatea Grey Power Inc – “Re-legalise growing small quantities of cannabis for health benefits.” This will go to Northland MP Winston Peters.
CANNABIS UTENSILS LAW REVIEW
Bongs, pipes and vaporisers reduce harm from smoking, but have been banned for sale in New Zealand since 1999. Submissions are open now on a proposed law change. A new NZ Ministry of Health discussion document proposes amending current laws and regulations to reduce the impact of criminality and to control the availability of drug utensils including cannabis bongs, pipes and vaporisers. Have your say here, by Tuesday 20 September 2016.
GROW WEED? DO THIS ANONYMOUS SURVEY
Courts, police, prosecutors, the media and the general public often have highly unrealistic views of cannabis, which means cannabis growers are often charged (and convicted) for excessive amounts and inflated values. Now you can help. NORML has teamed up with Massey University for this anonymous online survey. It takes 15-30 minutes and may help restore some sanity to our courts.
E-MAIL YOUR MP AT WWW.SAFER.ORG.NZ
Safer.org.nz is NORML’s new platform to allow New Zealanders who support cannabis law reform to easily and quickly email their MP, any other MP or all MPs! Help end cannabis prohibition in New Zealand: go to Safer.org.nz now!
Go to Safer.org.nz to help legalise cannabis
Cannabis in New Zealand
Cannabis is the third most popular recreational drug in New Zealand (behind only alcohol and tobacco), and has been used by nearly 2 million Kiwis. According to government surveys, around 540,000 New Zealanders smoke pot regularly, while 70,000 light up every day despite harsh laws against its use. Our public policies should reflect this reality, not deny it. NORML’s mission is to move public opinion sufficiently to legalise the responsible use of cannabis by adults, and to serve as an advocate for consumers to assure they have access to high quality cannabis that is safe, convenient and affordable.
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JOIN OUR CAMPAIGN
NORML has adopted three campaign themes that have widespread support:
- Cannabis should be a Health Issue, not a Crime!
(focus resources on problematic abuse. Let the police focus on crime that matters) - Allow Safe Legal Access to Medicine
(access to medicinal cannabis, similar to 18 states in the USA, Israel, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Canada etc) - A Regulated, Taxable Market for Low-Risk Drugs Such As Cannabis
(access to low-risk drugs like cannabis should be regulated via an adults-only, taxable market similar to that in the Netherlands, or the way alcohol is regulated here)
There are too many smokers to arrest.
It’s time to stop this racist,discriminatory “War on Drugs”. It’s time:–
- for cannabis to be allowed as safe, legal medicine
- for a regulated, adults-only, taxable market for low risk drugs, including cannabis.
The so-called “War on Drugs” is really a war on people. It divides communities and families. For 40 years, politicians have exploited this war as a vote-getter, but who are they kidding?
- New Zealand now has the highest arrest rate in the world for cannabis “crimes”, yet despite this,
- New Zealand now has, along with Australia, the highest teenage cannabis use rate in the world!
The “War on Drugs” has caused the deaths of many innocent people in NZ and elsewhere. The cost is huge – it is estimated the American taxpayer has paid one trillion dollars to fight this war. To what good effect? Stop the “War on Drugs” now!
It’s a Health Issue, Not a Crime
Ten years ago (in 2000) Portugal decriminalised all personal drug use. Drug deaths in Portugal went down 27%, the feared “drug tourism” did not happen, and teenage drug use has actually decreased. The new policy now has general support across all political parties.
- Drug users are not treated as criminals
- Those with drug problems receive treatment, not jail terms!
Medicinal Access
The New Zealand Law Commission says clinical trials should begin and Police should leave medicinal users of cannabis alone. Natural cannabis (plant material) is now officially accepted as a medicine by 25 states in the USA as well as many other countries including Canada, Israel, Uruguay, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands.
Prohibition: a Failed Experiment
In 2010, Californians almost voted for a regulated, adults-only, taxable market. In 2012 that became a reality for Colorado and Washington, both of which legalised and regulated cannabis in a similar way to alcohol. The NZ Law Commission says prohibition should be a “last resort”… Prohibition is an expensive, failed, policy experiment whose burden falls mostly on the young, the poor and Maori.
Help us end prohibition now!
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National Organisation for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, New Zealand Inc. (Est. 1980)