Drug laws 'irrational' - Greens
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Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei says drug laws need reassessing
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Thu, 07 Jul 2011 9:50a.m.
Timaru man Peter Davy yesterday avoided jail after being prosecuted for growing cannabis, which he says was used to treat his seriously ill partner’s chronic pain.
Justice Minister Simon Power has said he won’t legalise medicinal cannabis - something Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei says is hurting ill New Zealanders.
Ms Turei told Firstline this morning that while a judge showed compassion in sentencing Peter Davy to home detention, the threat of jail isn’t appropriate.
“The question is, should he even have been subjected to the court process? Should he continue to be threatened with jail time? The judge has said to him if he’s caught again he will go to jail,” she says.
“I don’t think that’s appropriate when you have ill New Zealanders who need to be treated with compassion.”
She says current drug law is “irrational” and prevents people who have “medicinal or abuse issues” with cannabis from getting help.
“People who have issues with cannabis… actually can’t find a legal means by which to sort these problems out, because they’re so frightened of the law,” she says.
Ms Turei says the Green Party has proposed legislation which would manage the “complex issue” of regulating medicinal cannabis use by placing the decisions in the hands of medical professionals.
“The legislation… would make the decision around using medicinal cannabis one that’s made by a doctor and their patient,” she says.
Patients would then be registered with the police and with health professionals, which Ms Turei says would ensure all the relevant authorities were aware of the situation.
“That’s one way of managing quite a complex issue that’s about taking care of New Zealanders who are very ill,” she says.
The Law Commission and New Zealand Medical Association support clinical trials of medicinal cannabis, Ms Turei says, and the Law Commission has said there is a “moral imperative” for the Government to undertake clinical trials.
“The authorities who know about these issues want there to be a change, but politicians are resisting for no good reason and ill New Zealanders are being hurt as a result,” she says.
Watch the video for the full interview
3 News
Friday 8 July 2011
Drug laws 'irrational' - Greens - Story - Politics - 3 News
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Comments [20]
Even when the Greens seek to liberalise, they are still about CONTROL, CONTROL, CONTROL. Turei states that cannabis use is a decision for doctors. It is not. Cannabis use is the decision of the individual. Then to suggest that those who choose to use cannabis should be registered with the police is even worse! This is an issue of individual sovereignty. Politicians should not be regulating in any way decisions individual adults make about what they put into their own bodies if said adults are not violating other people's rights and take responsibility for their own actions. All drugs should be legalised in conjunction with the privatisation of the health system.
Cannabis is awesome. Simon Power should try some.
Maybe its time the other parties (beside the Greens) started listening to the Law Comm. & the increasing number of regular kiwis, who say "time for a change.. to this out-of-date law" Its the 21st Century.. not 1975 !! Kia-ora
First woven fabric believed to be from hemp. 1619 Jamestown Colony, Virginia passes law requiring farmers to grow hemp. 1700s Hemp was the primary crop grown by George Washington at Mount Vernon, and a secondary crop grown by Thomas Jefferson at Monticello. 1884 Maine is the first state to outlaw alcohol. 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act is passed, forming the Food and Drug Administration. First time that drugs have any government oversight. 1913California, apparently, passes the first state marijuana law, though missed by many because it referred to “preparations of hemp, or loco weed.” 1914 Harrison Act passed, outlawing opiates and cocaine (taxing scheme) 1915 Utah passes state anti-marijuana law. 1919 18th Amendment to the Constitution (alcohol prohibition) is ratified. 1930 Harry J. Anslinger given control of the new Federal Bureau of Narcotics (he remains in the position until 1962) 1933 21st Amendment to the Constitution is ratified, repealing alcohol prohibition. 1937 Marijuana Tax Act 1938 Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act 1951 Boggs Amendment to the Harrison Narcotic Act (mandatory sentences) 1956 Narcotics Control Act adds more severe penalties 1970 Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act. Replaces and updates all previous laws concerning narcotics and other dangerous drugs. Empasis on law enforcement. Includes the Controlled Substances Act, where marijuana is classified a Schedule 1 drug (reserved for the most dangerous drugs that have no recognized medical use). 1972 Drug Abuse Office and Treatment Act. Establishes federally funded programs for prevention and treatment 1973 Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Changes Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs into the DEA 1974 and 1978 Drug Abuse Treatment and Control Amendments. Extends 1972 act 1988 Anti-Drug Abuse Act. Establishes oversight office: National Office of Drug Control Policy and the Drug Czar 1992 ADAMHA Reorganization. Transfers NIDA, NIMH, and NIAAA to NIH and incorporates ADAMHA’s programs into the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Many people assume that marijuana was made illegal through some kind of process involving scientific, medical, and government hearings; that it was to protect the citizens from what was determined to be a dangerous drug. The actual story shows a much different picture. Those who voted on the legal fate of this plant never had the facts, but were dependent on information supplied by those who had a specific agenda to deceive lawmakers. You’ll see below that the very first federal vote to prohibit marijuana was based entirely on a documented lie on the floor of the Senate. You’ll also see that the history of marijuana’s criminalization is filled with: Racism Fear Protection of Corporate Profits Yellow Journalism Ignorant, Incompetent, and/or Corrupt Legislators Personal Career Advancement and Greed These are the actual reasons marijuana is illegal.
The biggest reason that there are somuch harm from drugs is becouse of organized crime. A state run system of growing licences or prescription drug use would stop all the wars created by the drug lords getting maximum profit. I'm not saying all drugs are good just look at alcohol. This drug has the most influince our society and has the most adverse affects on the user and those around them. If there is a drug that really needs to belooked at it's the booze. And hare the greens are proud to finally look at the beer barons control over the creation on legeslation. The money that is spent looking people up can be spent on making sure that any child is living above the poverty line
@lightning: sorry, but I disagree. The biggest curses on the planet are the military industrial complex and the Federal Reserve bankers. Big tobacco and the pharmaceutical giants. Cannabis has killed: 0 by way of use alone.
Peace and love.
the biggest curse on the planet is drug laws. torture,slavery,deprivation is all going on at this very moment including murders in their thousands. our kids don't need it and the jails would be near empty without them.
Cheri, why sould people have to pay for something they can grow? Also to get sativex it has to be signed off by a minister..how silly is that? Why should people just pay companies to make money, its like banning the right to grow veges
the biggest curse on the planet is drugs.
torture,slavery,deprivation is all going on at this very moment including murders in their thousands.
our kids don't need it and the jails would be near empty without them.
It is Harting to see sensible talk on this issue. Especially from an exeALCP Candidate. Hopefully this supportave talk turns to votes so the greens can push this issue. There is much to be lost with a free trade agreement with USA. Pharmac would go and any opertunity to free the weed. Join or protests And support med pot.