Action alert: Medicinal cannabis reform in NZ is on the line this week – your voice is needed.
Posted inCampaign Medicinal Use of Cannabis Press releases

Action alert: Medicinal cannabis reform in NZ is on the line this week – your voice is needed.

What’s happening: The first vote on Green MP Chloe Swarbrick’s medicinal cannabis bill is on Wed, Jan 31st. It’s going to be a conscience vote, meaning MPs can vote on their personal conscience, rather than along party lines. Why it’s important: Medicinal cannabis has proven benefits for numerous health conditions. Even if you don’t need it yourself, you’re likely to know someone who will need it one day. This bill is…
The Greens’ Medicinal Cannabis Bill will have it’s first vote in Parliament

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Posted inChris Fowlie's Blog Law Reform Medicinal Use of Cannabis

The Greens’ Medicinal Cannabis Bill will have it’s first vote in Parliament

The Greens’ Medicinal Cannabis Bill will have it’s first vote in Parliament next Wednesday 31st Jan. This is sooner than we expected, so it’s really important to hit that keyboard and urge your MP to support the bill. Here are some reasons you can use: The public wants it, with over 80 per cent support for legalising medicinal cannabis in almost all polls. Let the Bill go to Select Committee so the public…

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Posted inCampaign Chris Fowlie's Blog Medicinal Use of Cannabis

Medicinal cannabis: good news, bad news

By Chris Fowlie. Originally published on The Daily Blog, 14 Dec 2017. Good news! The Labour-led Government will introduce legislation to "legalise medicinal cannabis", this side of Christmas. Bad news! Based on early hints about the content of the reform, patients are fearful about whether the changes will go far enough and whether they will have to continue to resort to criminal activity. During the election, Labour used an image of herbal…
Tell your MP what you think about our drug laws

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Posted inChris Fowlie's Blog Press releases

New Zealand Govt to hold cannabis referendum

The new Labour-led government has agreed to hold a binding referendum on legalising cannabis by or at the next election in 2020, writes NORML president Chris Fowlie. After years of denial and obfuscation by the National-led Government, this is a massive opportunity. The world is watching. The referendum is part of the deal between Labour and the Green Party. An email to party members said: Increase funding for alcohol…
Poll shows growing support for cannabis law reform
Posted inLaw Reform Medicinal Use of Cannabis Press releases

Poll shows growing support for cannabis law reform

The  New Zealand Drug Foundation's 2017 poll confirms the trend for increasing support for cannabis law reform.  The poll was conducted by National Party pollsters Curia and shows even 60 per cent of that party's voters want to see cannabis decriminalised or made legal. Overall, 65 per cent want cannabis legal or decriminalised, and 81 per cent support allowing medical cannabis for patients with terminal illnesses. With an election…
Julie Anne Genter’s grow-your-own medical marijuana Bill drawn from ballot
Posted inLaw Reform Medicinal Use of Cannabis Press releases

Julie Anne Genter’s grow-your-own medical marijuana Bill drawn from ballot

Green MP Julie Anne Genter's medical cannabis private member's bill has been drawn from the ballot and will be debated in Parliament. The purpose of this bill is to make it legal for New Zealanders who are suffering from terminal illness or any debilitating condition to use cannabis or cannabis products with the support of a registered medical practitioner. Julie Anne Genter's private member's bill is a complementary approach…
Posted inEvents For Media & Students Medicinal Use of Cannabis

Medical Cannabis Rally & March announced for Sat 22 April 2017 in response to Bill English’s oddly ignorant views

Bill English has shown how out of touch he is with the New Zealand population once again, spouting oddly ignorant views on medical cannabis. Despite a vast majority of Kiwis favouring the legalisation of medicinal cannabis, English yesterday unscientifically claimed "large-scale use of marijuana is pretty bad." In response, medicinal cannabis users and allies today are announcing they will march down Queen St later this month, supporting safe legal…
Green Party new cannabis policy
Posted inLaw Reform Medicinal Use of Cannabis

Green Party new cannabis policy

The Green Party has updated it's drugs policy: they want cannabis to be made legal for adults over 18, with home growing allowed and legal markets to be investigated "to determine the best model for New Zealand". Patients and caregivers would be allowed to use and cultivate cannabis medicinally. It's a good start - certainly the best policy in parliament. The next general election must be held in 2017.…
Labour will legalise medicinal cannabis “in first 100 days”, open to wider decriminalisation
Posted inFor Media & Students Law Reform Medicinal Use of Cannabis

Labour will legalise medicinal cannabis “in first 100 days”, open to wider decriminalisation

The New Zealand Labour Party have confirmed they will make medicinal cannabis legal within their "first 100 days" of forming a government, and although less supportive than the Green Party of "broader" reforms they have not ruled anything out. Leader Andrew Little says he wants to see more information about the impact of reforms, so make sure you send him some! Watch video of Andrew Little on RNZ's Morning…