MEDIA WATCH: Chloe Swarbrick destroys Nick Smith in Cannabis debate

ByMartyn Bradbury

TV3s The Nation had Nick Smith and Chloe Swarbrick on and despite some valiant efforts on behalf of the host, Nick just went on a grumpy grandad rant that looked as ridiculous as it sounded.

What on earth was Nick Smith on about?

It felt like Nick hadn’t actually done any research, because we are so far past the denial arguments that the no cannabis campaign has relied on to date and we are now at the actual debate part.

No one seemed to have told Nick!

Reefer madness and the ‘won’t someone protect the children’ routine was what the lazy did to drum up their far right Christian support, now you have to actually engage in the debate with the other side, not mouth Fox News level propaganda talking points.

The many faces of exasperation from Chloe said enough.

Look, I like nick Smith, I actually do.

I love his heart, his passion AND MOST IMPORTANTLY you can reason with him, but this was just such a bad outing in terms of rationally defending the ongoing prohibition status quo.

We are just not there any longer folks. We can’t actually go backwards on drug reform, that would make us more stringent than the home of the war on drugs, America!

We can’t keep locking people up and we can’t keep handing organised crime an enormous revenue source AND WE NEED THE JOBS!

A ring fenced amount is going to addiction services, something tobacco and alcohol taxes don’t do.

Nick’s argument was ‘Nah’.

It is beneath our collective intellect for this type of childish response by a clearly unprepared Nick Smith.

It was embarrassing watching Chloe put him in his place.

 

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31 Comments

  1. Another out of touch ‘Death cult capitalist’……as you say, where is the reasoned arguments and where is the HONEST UNBISED host.

  2. Good for her. The benefits of CBD oil are well documented and legalising cannabis would bring a whole new and easier medical option for people suffering from a myriad of medical issues. Go Chloe. Also, any friend/ally of Labour is a friend of mine.

  3. How typical of Newshub to post a clip where their favourite party’s spokesperson hogs 95% of the clip.
    The segment must have been chosen by Paddy Gower.

  4. Centuries ago , shaman regulated various substances based upon their observations on the effects upon society if these drugs became common parlance,… lacking a central govt style and more a religious autocracy, they regulated these substances, … well, nowadays we have centralized govt’s that can legislate and regulate consumption.

    IF,… this substance was to become part of accepted legal coinage, it would have to be HEAVILY REGULATED,…to not only pay for taxation regards rehab , but also to cut out the black market trade. Any mind altering substance must be viewed in this light.

    And then there is the issue of workplace management,… and the serious consequences that can come from intoxication. We already have that with alcohol,… along with Policing our roads, and the carnage that it brings.

    And that brings us around to effective, reliable methods of testing those who have consumed those various substances. All of these MUST be in place before any moves are made to legislate. I suppose they already exist.

    As I have said in another post, I spent many years floating around as a traveler…and I was often treated to a warm hot meal by various house truckies who believed in hospitality. I drank my red wine, they had their ‘other’. They were wonderful accommodating people. We would talk and debate the christian faith. I am not one to judge because these folk were among the most gentle folk I’d met.

    They certainly were not the dark criminals so often portrayed by the far right wing.

    1. Yep we already have the carnage and violence of alcohol…. So the weed that everyone already has access to, if they want it, gonna increase the carnage??? You’re having a Laugh…
      When drinkers are getting ready for a rumble tokers are forming a band, lol..
      All that Policing, Arresting, Criminalizing etc that has cost hundreds of millions has achieved exactly diddly squat…
      A little weed has resisted it all and grows all round the Country. Just like Gorse…

  5. National are always so angry about everything……particularly now with Punch and Judy running the show……spose it must hurt to look at the beehive……and know they aint going back there annnnytime soon!

  6. “Look, I like Nick Smith, I actually do.”

    That’s not a phrase you hear very often. Probably even his wife wouldn’t go that far.

    1. simonm,

      I think starting off a statement with the word “look” has not only become very common, it’s the modern equivalent of “let me be perfectly honest” or “let me be Frank”………what followed that preface was invariably a complete load of bollocks. That surely must be the case here as liking Nick Smith would be akin to liking having a wart on your nose.

    2. Yeah… he’s not terribly likeable, to be honest. And his smarmy performance in Parliament after being told off by Trevor Mallard was just infantile. He’s a dick, basically.

  7. Either for against this referendum, we require sound debate, as in, it is two sided Nick, Your own condescending voice Nick, is why you are in serious trouble in Nelson. To use a university flat as your example of cannabis use is completely narrow minded. Perhaps you only need look internally, Paula Bennett sits on your “strong” team Nick and you probably think she’s okay.

  8. I do not think people should use recreational drugs (including alcohol) but the evidence is clear that the proposed change can only improve things from the mess it is now which is why it deserves to pass. I differ in opinion from fellow church members who follow the keep it illegal line but real world experience has shown that alcohol is the biggest problem so I would like to see alcohol advertising eliminated as a sensible way to reduce the harm it causes.

    1. Good on yer , Bonnie, – I’m of similar opinion but I like me grog. Mad monk Rasputin you may call me, but I understand the sentiment. We had much more sensible views in times past,… but that was only because of the proliferation of so many recreational drugs in the 19th century and the time lapse between legislation and the social costs incurred. We are that much wiser now with modern medicine and their reports. There needs to be a comprehensive alliance between social costs, addiction and the means to finance rehab, balanced by the liberal viewpoint of re-legalizing these substances.

      And most definitely a governmental regularity response to protect minors and void any attempts by the criminal black market to take advantage of any loopholes left by preemptive, hastily adopted legislature.

  9. Lets all remember Nick Smith’s track record even whilst he was a minister in a National government.
    He took a bunch of journalists to a traffic island in Auckland to show them a potential housing estate. And in accordance with National policy he blamed an office worker for that mistake.
    He swilled paint thinner and in accordance with National Party policy blamed a maintenance worker.
    And so for Nick Smith and in accordance with National Party policy the blame game still continues. National just cannot get out of the habit of blaming everyone else but themselves and Nick Smith is an excellent example of someone who has passed his “Used By Date”.
    To me Nick Smith is a trougher. He has been in the job as a self-serving MP for way too long and it’s time he called it a day.
    At least he can head off into the blue(National Party yonder)with a taxpayer funded super-super-annuation for the rest of his feeble minded days after swilling too much paint thinner and blaming someone else for HIS actions in the bathroom and elsewhere.
    All in all I would say National seriously do need to take a look at their MPs especially those who have been in the job far too long. If National want to survive after the next election they need younger MPs. Not the Has-beens like Nick Smith, Judith Collins, Gerry Brownlee, Michael Woodhouse, Paul Goldsmith. etc.etc.etc.
    But I think National will be in for a shock and hopefully a huge defeat at the election.
    But will Judith concede defeat and eventually retire from politics with respect and credibility? I doubt it. She will be wanting to have her last say even if it makes her feel superior for say 15 minutes after she has belittled someone in her sights that she hates whether they be those in the NZ National Party of the Labour government after election 2020.
    And in regards to the Cannabis Referendum. Of course I will be voting in favour of it. To me the Great Spirit put this herb onto the planet for a reason. And it’s up to us humans to use it in moderation. If this referendum was 20 years ago I would have voted against it. But my thoughts on it have changed considerably and I am in total support of it now.

    1. Good Lord,… paint thinner?

      Surely not !

      I spent about 15 years as a painter / decorator in my labouring days….Jeepers…. paint thinner !,…. I shall stick to my red wine and beer most certainly !

  10. Dinosaurs have no place in the 2020 cannabis debate. Their bullshit hypercritical perspective has ruled the topic for decades causing immeasurable damage. They’ve needlessly turned good people into criminals and helped make gangs very wealthy. They have also contributed to several generations not respecting laws that are a farce. It’s well past time for the younger and enlightened generations to call the shots. It can’t happen fast enough.

    Bye bye Dinosaurs. Take your fear-mongering horse shit, dry it out and go smoke it. Have fun!

  11. You write a blog about Chloe’s triumph over Nick Smith, and then say you are embarrassed Bomber. Oh yeah?

  12. I write as a (retd) NZRN – highly qualified, widely experienced, still very focused on Health & Wellness (unlike the majority of medical ‘doctors’ & most nurses.)
    There is a considerable amount of data re the health benefits of CBD especially. In recent years, I’ve found much benefit re constant pain from M.S. from very low dose of 2drops 4 times/day of cannabis tincture. Less pain = much better mental health as well. The Rick Simpson videos are still wonderfully informative/enlightening. Cannabis was demonised because it got in the way of the Big Pharma’s plan. All drugs are toxic, poisonous chemicals – including antibiotics – which disrupt the microbiome & the human body takes too many months to recover from such onslaught. Use drugs.com to become better informed.

    1. Your first sentence shows your perception re modern doctors and Big Pharmac
      . Once it is legalised the government will outsource the testing and sale of this drug to big business so they can drag in the taxes. The payback they promise will finish up the same way the road user charges vanish into the big money pot and only a small,percent get spent on roads. The gangs will still have a place because they will under cut the heavy mark up for GST and testing cost.

  13. Bloody hell, Smith performed like he was under the influence of something. You’d think the opportunity to regulate and raise revenue from something would at least be attractive to the Nats.

    Swarbrick’s oft repeated principle about prohibition not working is a good one, wish more parties adopted it. And she and the Greens applied it consistently.

    At least it looks like Smith is going to lose this one

    1. He does kind of look like someone who has drun a bit too much alcohol over time. One of the signs of heavy drinkers is that their arguments and opinions on anything start to get a bit simplistic.

  14. Nick sold out on any moral high ground (for a National MP) years ago. He’s been the “nice face” of doing dirty work for at least a decade. Like the same as Paula Bennett but in the opposite way. She was the “ugly face” doing the dirty work.

  15. Weed when smoked fucks your lungs, circulatory system and that can lead to oxygen loss to the brain and early onset of dementia
    Weed whether smoked or otherwise imbibed damages children’s, teenagers and young adults brains during a very important stage of growth.
    The result is a dramatic increase in psychosis related conditions often not recognised until adult years are achieved, severe disturbances in personality changes, diminished ability to concentrate and to learn as well as behavioual changes in peer group seeking and acceptance.

    Parents are rightfully worried about the damage and this anxiety forms a barrier with the youngster who has been initiated into the weed habit. A psychological dependence is real as is a need to have approval which may be gained from other weed users peers.
    Habitual use over time can and often does result in a pothead fairly easily recognised by common characteristics.
    And there is so much fake news about weed or pot.

    In spite of this I will vote for decriminalsation of weed.

    The last thing a youngster needs is a jail term because of his mental health issue which is what taking weed is.

    If weed gets sold legally than any tax collected must be spent on effective education about it and dealing with peer pressure to experiment with it as well as programs to deal with psychological addiction and ongoing treatment.

    The common saying with potheads is “Hey it hasn’t hurt me”. They can’t see the harm that others can’t avoid seeing.

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