Cannabis Users Deserve Harm Reduction

Cannabis Users Deserve Harm Reduction Equipment Too!

A proposed law will deny smokers of cannabis and other herbs safe, legal access to harm reduction equipment such as pipes, gauzes and vapourisers.

“Harm reduction services – such as needle exchange centers - are provided for other drug users. New Zealand’s 400,000 cannabis users deserve safe access to harm reduction equipment too,” said Acting President of NORML NZ, Stephen McIntyre, today.

“The Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill 2010 pre-empts the Law Commission’s review of the law, just as the commissioners have proposed reducing or eliminating penalties for drug use.”

“The National Government wants to create a brand new offence of offering a cannabis pipe for sale, and another new offence of importing or selling a visibly identifiable component of a cannabis utensil.”

“This goes entirely counter to the National Drug Policy. The proposed Bill will fail to improve social, economic and health outcomes for the individual, the community and the population at large.”

“The Bill is counter-productive and harmful to public health as it will force some people – young people most likely of all – back to the days of using aluminium coke cans and plastic soft drink bottles with garden hosing instead.”

“The Government's stated intention by banning cannabis paraphernalia is to allow Police and Customs to “more effectively enforce the utensils provisions and minimise the visibility and availability of drug paraphernalia.”

“However, this proposed ban is a health issue, not a police or customs issue.”

“The proposed amendment to the law will not stop people from using cannabis, and will not stop smokers in general from using these types of devices.”

“What it will do is force people into using home-made smoking devices made from toxic materials.”

“Rather than banning pipes and vapourisers, the Government should be encouraging their use; in addition to providing better and more credible education that gives people useful information about harm reduction methods!” Mr McIntyre concluded.

Submissions for the Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill 2010 close Wednesday, 29 September, 2010.

Having your say is easy. Submissions can be made online at:

http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/SC/MakeSub/e/e/2/49SCHE_SCF_00DBHOH_BILL9857_1-Misuse-of-Drugs-Amendment-Bill.htm

For more information see http://norml.org.nz/article719.html

ENDS

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