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Don Brash on Q+A - Source: Q+A -
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Act leader Don Brash is calling for the decriminalisation of cannabis, saying prohibition of the drug has not worked.
He has told TVNZ's Q+A programme policing cannabis costs millions of taxpayer dollars and clogs up the court system.
Brash, who announces his party's law and order policy today, said he has never been tempted to use marijuana or any other kind of drug, but the reality is the present law is not working.
He said it is estimated there are 400,000 New Zealanders using cannabis "on a fairly regular basis", 6,000 people are prosecuted every year over cannabis and $100 million of taxpayers' money is being used to police this law.
"It isn't working. The Law Commission has said it isn't working, the Global Commission on Drug Policy says it isn't working, I mean it's now recognised it ain't working."
Brash said there are "all kinds of things you can do" to restrict the use of cannabis.
"I'm not encouraging its use, I'm simply saying criminalising it has not worked."
Brash said: "Should the state be using $100 million of taxpayers' money to criminalise an activity which on the face of it does no harm to anybody? By criminalising it you simply give power to the gangs."
He also wants to see the right of self defence enshrined into the Bill of Rights.
Brash agreed this right is in the law now, but said quite frequently the police ignore that.
He said New Zealand has had "some awful cases" where people who have been attacked by serious criminals have been prosecuted by police for defending themselves.
Should cannabis be decriminalised? Have your say on the messageboard below.
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Post new commentDebs nz said on 2011-09-28 @ 08:16 NZDT: Report abusive post
http://www.justice.gov/dea/demand/speakout/09so.htm All you people holding up the Netherlands as an example, check out rthis site - Dutch not happy, drug use has increased (particularly of what we would call hard drugs) and they want gram quantity reduced in the coffee shops. When you talk about research why don't you actually do some. Brash's personal 'float' of decriminalization not Act Policy, just gaining headlines.
str80G said on 2011-09-27 @ 02:32 NZDT: Report abusive post
YOU SAID IT BRO AND THE "REAL" TRUTH HURTS EM!!!
geeds said on 2011-09-27 @ 00:27 NZDT: Report abusive post
For anybody who wants to make their own opinion and base it on facts, rationality, and scientific research, consider looking up the Global Commission on Drug Policy. This Commission is made up of UN members, Presidents/Prime Ministers, Richard Branson, and many more. Here's a link to their report, which includes recommendations for all nations: http://www.globalcommissionondrugs.org/Report
geeds said on 2011-09-27 @ 00:23 NZDT: Report abusive post
The main reasons cannabis is still illegal is (and this is not my opinion, but a conclusion from research): A) Not enough people are doing their research. Overseas examples show that ALL problems related with the drug are either eliminated or reduced when the drug is legalised. B) Politics. If your voters don't want it legalised, you (as a politician with elections always around the corner) don't want it legalised either.
skaboom777 said on 2011-09-26 @ 19:40 NZDT: Report abusive post
Cultures like native Americans used cannabis for centuries with no harmful effects on their society. When western nations introduced alcohol to them they suffered greatly.It makes you wonder why is cannabis illegal in the first place?