Regime Change For Law Change
The New Zealand Government has made it explicitly clear that there will be no change to the legal status of cannabis in
this parliamentary term. Libertarianz Deputy Leader Stephen Berry is not particuarly surprised. "The health select
committee inquiry was done on the wrong terms, for the wrong reasons and presented to the wrong politicians."
Jim Anderton made the Government's position crystal clear today, when he said, "The Labour Progressive coalition
government, which has a mandate until the end of 2005, will not change the legal status of cannabis. My party, the
Progressive Party, will never support a change to the legal status of cannabis unless or until it is proven safe,"
Stephen Berry states, "Cannabis will never be proven safe because it can cause harms, which is widely acknowledged by
both sides of the cannabis law reform debate. This is why I say the inquiry was done on the wrong terms. Safety is not
the real issue, sovereignty over your own life is."
Anderton used the usual emotive arguments when making his case, including the "we need to send a strong message"
argument. Berry says, "The only moral way to send a message is through advising and persuading. Locking people up is not
a message about drug use, it is a deliberate violation of the right to govern your own body."
One positive of the Government's announcement is that it makes very clear what is required to get a change in cannabis
laws through parliament - regime change. Berry says an analysis of the policies of individual parties makes it clear
where support must go for the full legalisation of cannabis to occur:
PARTY POLICIES
Labour - Will only promise to 'review' the law
National - Supports prohibition
New Zealand First - Supports prohibition
Greens - Supports high regulation of cannabis use
ACT NZ - No policy
United Future - Supports prohibition
Progressive Party - Supports prohibition until cannabis is proven safe
Libertarianz - Supports total legalisation
To have cannabis legalised, vote regime change in 2005!