Open Letter To Brian Neeson From ALCP
National Management Committee
Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party
PO Box 27 315
WELLINGTON
16 June 1999
Mr Brian Neeson,
Chairperson,
Health Select Committee,
House of Representatives,
WELLINGTON
Dear Mr Neeson,
urgent: Debate on Report of Cannabis Inquiry
The Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party applauds the repeat of your committee's recommendation to Government to ``review
the appropriateness of existing policy on cannabis and its use and reconsider the legal status of cannabis'', as tabled
on June 10 in the Report on Petition 1996/686 from Judith Ann Wickham and 326 others requesting the ``decriminalisation
of the recreational use of cannabis''.
We respectfully suggest that it is not beyond the Health Committee's reported terms of reference to make a judgment
decision on the mental heath implications of ``adequacy of existing services for those people who use cannabis'', in
respect of arrest and conviction for simple cannabis offences.
Currently it is arguable that Government is placing excessive and undue weighting and resource allocation to the area of
police cannabis ``enforcement'' interventions.
Our Party believe the Health Committee and Ministers on the Government's drug policy committee, together with the wider
Parliament, should openly discuss and debate the appropriateness of existing controls on cannabis and its use, and
advise by way of conscience vote, the will of the incumbent House of Representatives. The Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis
Party ask that the House resolve:
that Government accept ``criminal intervention'' in respect of simple cannabis use and cultivation is inappropriate,
unsustainable and unacceptable, and that an equitable system of control for cannabis must be provided as an urgent
national priority.
The party has petitioned Parliament, and in particular advised the Justice & Law Reform Committee regarding cannabis related legislation including possible lowering of the drinking age (see
attached). The immediate legislative implication of debating and resolving the ``decriminalisation'' issue would be the
issuing by Parliamentary majority, of a moritorium on arrests for ``simple cannabis offences''.
Our understanding is that today, Wednesday, 16 June is a members' day in Parliament and your committee's report may be
prioritised for debate, so the Party requests that you, as chair of the Health Committee, take this serious and
important matter to the debating chamber without further delay.
In relation to the petition 1996/686, could the committee please provide for our information, copies of submissions from
the petitioner, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Health and the Police, as requested and received by Health
Committee. We thank you for your assistance.
Yours sincerely,
Blair Anderson, Deputy Leader
cc: Hon Roger Sowry, Leader of the House, Lianne Dalziel MP, Tim Barnett MP, Hon Phil Goff, Hon Wyatt Creech