[January 18]
MEDIA RELEASE
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Tolley bitches about beneficiaries growing pot
Anne Tolley's bitching about beneficiaries being too well off because they grow cannabis is a gross generalisation which
highlights the government's failed drug policy.
Tolley said beneficiaries were living pretty good lifestyles because of "a bit of dole, a cash crop and kaimoana."
If cannabis was legal beneficiaries and other New Zealanders could buy it from dispensaries, which would pay GST and
other tax to the government.
Instead invalids and other beneficiaries, who rely on medical marijuana for pain relief, are forced to grow it or buy it
from the black market.
"There would be less people on benefits if cannabis was legal because it would stimulate free-market job creation,"
Cannabis Party leader Julian Crawford said.
"There are also tens of thousands of law abiding beneficiaries who don't grow cannabis but are being falsely accused of
a crime by Tolley."
Crawford said the best way to reduce the number of beneficiaries was to end prohibition, which had done nothing to
undermine demand for cannabis but had driven profits into the hands of gangs.
ENDS