From the Epsom Independent Epsom Candidate: Adam Holland

My name is Adam Holland; Independent Epsom Candidate.

For the past four years I, like 500,000 other New Zealanders, have been illegally smoking cannabis for medicinal purposes and/or even just for the occasional laugh with friends on the weekend.
We don't hurt anybody, we don't cause nuisance, we don't leave smashed or empty bottles anywhere, we don't feel the need to damage other peoples property and we certainly don't feel the need to steal from anybody.

Many cancer patients and their physicians in OECD countries where cannabis is legal for medicinal use have found cannabis as an effective, cheap, non addictive treatment in alleviating many painful symptoms associated with the disease. One life prolonging side effect being an increase in appetite - a critical factor in battling cancer.

Most sufferers of serious health problems who've used cannabis as a primary treatment have found that it's more effective and has no adverse effects upon cessation, whereas more notable and commonly prescribed drugs such as Morphine, Diazepam (Valium), Methadone, Tramadol and Codeine, when used long term, have clusters of extremely unpleasant withdrawal effects. What this means is that once the patient is cured of a serious disease, that individual is now physically addicted to the very medications prescribed to help save their lives, thus creating more human suffering and more spending in public healthcare; a cruel alternative to medicinal cannabis.

ACT preaches a classically liberal message of free choice and personal responsibility that I think all Epsom voters deserve to hear about. It is therefore a contention of mine to challenge ACT Epsom candidate David Seymour to the question: Will you support legalisation of cannabis?

I, Adam Holland, will without exception make it a stipulation to possible coalition partners that if they don't want to legalise cannabis, I won't have any dealings with them when elected as your local MP for Epsom.

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