One of the other results from the final results on was the reeferendum. The loss was minuscule in the final results. If I was the yes campaign, I’d be considering pushing this to another referendum soon. It was so close, that the result was mainly due to being run with Covid-19 in the background of the campaign, a unreadable proposed bill, and a surprisingly well funded No campaign.
Which way are the Greens going to jump?
“So after staunchly opposing the legalisation of cannabis all year NZ Medical Association chair Kate Baddock has issued a statement and apology, in the middle of voting, saying actually the NZMA has “no position regarding the cannabis referendum”” – TVNZ political journalist Benedict Collins
The referendums on two contentious issues could cloud and crowd out the General Election.
A new poll shows solid support for legalising cannabis. Is the 2020 referendum a done deal?
“The Health Select Committee is about to consider the government’s changes to medicinal cannabis law. This is your chance to tell politicians they have not gone far enough.”
The Greens have a handy online submission form that you can send as is or add your own thoughts. Submissions close on Wednesday.
Helen Kelly championed the liberalisation of drug law to allow those suffering from significant ill health to have access to cannabis for medicinal purposes. National is still struggling with the concept despite it having overwhelming public support.
“Sick New Zealanders deserve access to medicinal cannabis which is legal and affordable.”
Will the Medical Marijuana Bill just introduced into Parliament be as effective as proponents wish?
We should consider decriminalising real cannabis to provide a safer alternative.
The Greens’ bill would make medicinal cannabis easily accessible to those in need without hoop jumping or financial barriers.
The Government starts to make cannabidiol more available.
A refreshing shift in NZ’s political environment.
The Government is finally moving to adopt Labour policy and loosen requirements for the use of medicinal cannabis.
On Stuff: “Little said cannabis products should be available to anyone suffering chronic pain or a terminal condition if their GP signed off on it.”
Welcome signs of new realism on drugs. Sadly, it’s the sort of progress only a right-wing government can propose.
I am taking Cannabis Oil to manage my pain as my lung cancer takes over my body. It’s sort of as simple as that really. For some people talking about dying is confronting but actually talking about it allows us to think about how it happens – it is actually as much a social event as a physical one and knowing someone is comfortable, getting good treatment and pain relief is very much part of the social dimension as the physical one.
Now that cannabis is going legal and heading for the neighbourhood social gatherings where mothers sell addictive substances (like cosmetics and kitchenware) to each other. Lets legalize it, tax it HEAVILY, and could someone please give Helen Kelly and others like her the relief that they can use.
I don’t use too many drugs because they interfere with my dominant programming addiction/work. But after decades of seeing people using pot, I can’t see any real problems with it if people use it in moderation. I have seen people with problems with excessive indulgence. But I’ve helped neighbours who have subsequently died from alcoholism as well. There is simply no way to definitively and fully protect everyone from themselves. We need to tax and regulate it. And if there is a substance that is fully tested on humans, then I’d have say it’d be pot… I can’t say the same about chemical manufacture of synthetic drugs.
