Waatea News Column: For goodness sake – legalise cannabis now to create jobs!

By
Martyn Bradbury
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20
474

New Zealand faces one of the steepest economic recessions since the Great Depression, The disruption to the economy due to the pandemic will see unemployment in double figures and those already suffering from the structural inequality of the existing system damaged even further.

Post lockdown, the State must step in and attempt to re-establish economic conditions that can see domestic growth and jobs.

So why on earth aren’t we fast tracking legalising cannabis?

Minister for Justice, Andrew Little last week released the latest Cannabis Legislation and Control Bill rules and they look well thought out and smart social policy.

  • R20 Cannabis sales from licensed retailers
  • Potency limits and quality standards for cannabis
  • Cannabis product mandatory labelling to include THC and CBD amounts plus recommended maximum daily limits
  • No advertising of cannabis products
  • Health warnings on all cannabis products
  • A ring-fenced excise tax to fund services to reduce harms from cannabis use
  • No company would be allowed to have more than 20% of the market
  • Preference to Maori and communities previously hurt most by prohibition to ensure they can benefit from the new market.
  • Large fines for the black market and selling to anyone under 20.

These provisions aim to generate taxation, reduce harm, create jobs and allow small to medium-sized business to gain from the new market.

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Rather than continue to allow organised crime to benefit from cannabis prohibition and the enormous cost to imprison users, creating a legal and heavily regulated industry that creates jobs that benefit those most hurt by the current system makes sense, especially with the economic depression fast approaching us.

The cannabis referendum is 5 months away, the moment it passes the Government must swing into action to allow the industry to start hiring people as soon as possible.

First published on Waatea News.

20 COMMENTS

  1. Couldn’t agree more Martyn. NZ has a large number of cannabis users who can safely use this substance, laugh their heads off and go about their day. They are functional, hold down challenging jobs, care for families and partners and are having to hide their use to due archaic thinking that dates back 100 years (when it was first criminalised here and elsewhere) due to the possible impact on liqour and tobacco sales and the difficulty in controlling use? The point is that evidence from overseas demonstrates unequivocally that legalisation (to a lesser degree decriminalisation) increases safety and reduces harms associated with the use of this drug. Accordingly, and given our ability to produce some damned fine weed, NZ should be encouraging entreprenuers to start business and employ many in this new and relatively lucrative business moving forward.

  2. So those under 20 will still go to the gangs as will those who want a cheaper product with no GST or tax in the price. . Post virus there will be many suffering from mental stress do we really need another drug introduced to the mix. The smoke free act 2004 stopped smoking in restaurants now we are asked to allow it for marajuana smokers. There are plenty of reasons to vote National and the fact they will not legalize this drug is another one

    • So young people going to gangs is the status quo anyway – no change. Remember the sanctions for supplying young people will be stiff and act as some deterrent for supply to young people.
      The proposed cannabis clubs will NOT be eateries and subject to the same rules as for smokers – that is these cafes will need to find an outdoor area for using or have decent extraction systems in place for indoor smoking. You do not have to got to these – but why stop others.
      Drugged driving is an issue you didn’t raise – but I will. There is legislation passing through the house currently which will allow for random drug driving testing – much like for alcohol. This is not okay – nor is supplying children. But these aspects of the law will be heavily penalised.
      There is very limited reason to vote National – unless you are a greedy little boomer – then – as you were. I think we could ban tobacco and alcohol and legalise cannabis – as they are much more damaging for users.

      • So at the last election o er 40 per cent of the voting public were greedy little boomers.and dose that voted Labour were on their way to church were they

    • Trevor displays typical right wing behavior …. backing proven failed ideas and bad policy ,,,which make things worse.,,,

      For instance ,, Judith Collins car crushing Public Relations stunt .. to fix the boy racer problem ,,,, what a joke ,,, why don’t we just crush the Cannabis Trev?

      Nationals answer to protecting young New Zealanders from drugs ,,,, is Mike Sabin and police officers of the Clint Rickards caiber ,,,,, what a sick rapey joke.

      Peter TwatCock Dunne and the Nats gave us ‘ legal highs’ ,, which went from dodgy to deadly real fast ,,, with well over 100 dead kiwis and many more disabled ,,, from these dangerous and now black-market chemicals.

      Dunne and the Nats with their demented ‘anything but Cannabis’ attitude,,, introduced dangerous substitutes not fit for human consumption ,,,. The customer base for these synthetic industrial chemicals ,,,,was built and spread from the total bullshit behind ‘Legal highs’ and ‘Synthetic Cannabis’…

      High toxicity man-made disassociative chemicals, whose powerful ‘drug’ effects were nothing like Cannabis, ,,,were both marketed by sellers ,,and smeared by the anti-marijuana CDS crowd as ‘Synthetic Cannabis’.

      These dangerous chemical concoctions are now sold as ‘Synies’ …in bullet / Tinny and baggy sizes.,,, sold by the gangs ,,, or other hard nut dealers ,,, Prohibition creates the only market where violence is part of business ,,,

      So Trev ,,, the gangs and dealers are already pushing these new alphabet soup drugs* ,,, most probably in preference to Cannabis ,,,, as the mark up or profit margin on these cheap factory lab chemicals is HUGE ,,

      Gang and Gangster math : $1 dollar worth of dirt cheap industrial chemical muck * ,,, returns over $100 dollars or more for the dealers ,,, ,,,,compared to Cannabis which returns $4-$5 for every single dollar they ‘invest’ in pot.,,,,

      So the gangs are moving on ,,, even if Trev and the Nats are not.

      To be honest I’m a bit concerned about Trevors obsessive desire to keep cannabis users as criminals ,,, It could be a mental health issue with him ,,,, a cannabis phobia where doom and gloom fantasys have damaged his thought process ,,,,

      So I’ll finish with some Positive reality …

      “There has been a growing popular movement in the world and United States to legalize marijuana for medicinal and recreational uses, with several nations and u.s states adopting such measures already.

      One motivation for legalization is the economic benefits that can come from the regulated commercial availability of marijuana.

      Increased tax revenues, job growth, and investment opportunities all are powerful incentives to push for legalization.”

      *Examples in New Zealand include 5F-ADB, AB-FUBINACA, AMB-FUBINACA and JWH-122

    • ” The smoke free act 2004 stopped smoking in restaurants now we are asked to allow it for marajuana smokers.” Read the Thing again.. and this time’ take the time to think about it with your mind, rather than your political filters.. You’ve done nothing but make a bit of an ass of yourself, writing such obvious piffle.. ans then backing it up with nonsensical piffle.. This issue deserves more than silly party political bullshit instead of intelligent discussion..

  3. Doctors dont like it ….they prefer to dish out the opioids

    ‘Medical Association opposes cannabis legalisation but backs civil penalties for drug possession’

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12228985

    ‘Prince’s death drug prescribed to New Zealand’s elderly’

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/83570824/princes-death-drug-prescribed-to-new-zealands-elderly‘

    https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/23/health/opioids-insys-kapoor-prison.html

    • Doctors are shit scared of cannabis they know growers won’t be sponsoring golf conferences in the Bahamas.

      • Doctors will be so busy enough dealing with the side effects of smoking marajuana they will be able to afford to pay for their own holidays. The whole spectrum of mental problems and anxiety will be high on the list but other medical issues like heart attacks and lung problems. Then there is the safety side both on the road and at work as accidents will increase .

  4. I feel countryboy that you feel very strongly about a number of things. As you have expressed yourself at length quite honestly and yet coherently, I feel in 99% agreement with you and there is nothing more to add to the plaintive cry below.
    I feel like I’m living in a tedious TV miniseries where nothing happens except a boring life time of drab labour then a mercifully brief period of poverty, brutal sobriety, extreme discomfort then death.
    What the fuck is going on here ! ?
    But if life gets too awful I may take up alcohol as my drug of choice, just give up and be relaxed, hic! It being so easily available and such a good accompaniment to a fine meal etc. and quite acceptable to those with money and power in this country. Alcohol is the acceptable drug despite the overuse leading to a breakdown in spirit literally.

  5. @Countryboy. U Speak with my own voice. Bang on.

    But you know. This is apathetic new zealand. We will all do as we are told, to any degree, or else……

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