For immediate release

Friday, 20 December 2002

Why do the Greens hate the children of New Zealand?

United Future leader Peter Dunne said today he was appalled to hear Green MP, Tandor Nanczos, gloating that he had, because of his own lack of courage, managed to evade police prosecution for his self-admitted cannabis smoking.

"I am even more alarmed to see the Green co-leaders Rod Donald and Jeanette Fitzsimons have seized on the criminal activities of their own MP, whom they promote as a role model for youth, to advance the cause of decriminalizing cannabis use," he said.

"Let's be very clear: there is ample evidence that prolonged cannabis use among our teenage children is damaging to their health and stunting their future opportunities in life. Anyone who talks to teachers, drug educators, social workers or the police will know that's true.

"Yet for their own selfish, trendy purposes, the Greens are perfectly happy to condemn thousands of our children to lifetimes of being losers.

"Why do they hate our children so much? Or are they so blinded by their own obsessive desire to promote cannabis use, they are willing to abandon reason and commonsense and the health of our kids?" asked Mr Dunne.

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