Police send message with ongoing cannabis hunt

By Chris Fowlie  /  February 7, 2019  /  Chris Fowlie, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  6 Comments

Next year New Zealand will vote to make cannabis legal. For a proper debate to be held it is important that those who most affected are not considered criminals and hunted with the full force of the state. Police should immediately call off their aerial snooping and spraying programme.

Cannabis predictions and crystal ball gazing

By Chris Fowlie  /  January 22, 2019  /  Chris Fowlie, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  5 Comments

Last year was an absolute humdinger for cannabis, with legislative  changes for hemp foods and medicinal cannabis, confirmation the cannabis  referendum will be binding and held at the next election, and so much  activity it was hard to keep up. It seems the stars are aligned and,  although we must not become complacent, this is finally the moment when  cannabis law reform can actually happen in New Zealand. Here are my predictions for what will play out this year.

Medicinal Cannabis Bill set to pass Parliament; patients celebrate ambivalently

By Chris Fowlie  /  December 11, 2018  /  Chris Fowlie, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  14 Comments

“A lot of us also have mixed feelings at the moment. New Zealand is catching up with the rest of the world, but this new law has only delivered part of what we hoped for,”

Cannabis Referendum Conference lays foundation for Yes campaign

By Chris Fowlie  /  November 21, 2018  /  Chris Fowlie, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  5 Comments

Organised by the Cannabis Referendum Coalition (CRC), a campaign group made up of aligned reformist organisations and individuals, the #MakeItLegalconference brought together over 120 people from all walks of life in the rather salubrious surrounds of the James Cook Hotel Grand Chancellor.

When three bills become one: why cross party support is needed for medicinal cannabis law reform

By Chris Fowlie  /  July 26, 2018  /  Chris Fowlie, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  11 Comments

With three bills before Parliament this year, and patients continuing to suffer, it’s clear we need cross-party support for enduring sensible solutions.

The Government’s medicinal cannabis bill is back before parliament, and we’re urging MPs to do what’s best for patients, not politics.

By Chris Fowlie  /  July 25, 2018  /  Chris Fowlie, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  11 Comments

MPs need to work together now to fix the proposed legislation and give patients urgent protection. While they squabble patients are still getting busted, or dying without medicine.

The latest shenanigans over medicinal cannabis follow a Curia poll, released this week by the New Zealand Drug Foundation, which found increased support for all options, including 87 per cent support for allowing medicinal cannabis for chronic pain relief.

The message MPs should take from this poll is: Don’t panic, and do what is best for patients.

NORML’s unsubmissive submission on behalf of impatient patients

By Chris Fowlie  /  April 13, 2018  /  Chris Fowlie, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  6 Comments

Hearings on the Government’s medicinal cannabis law reform bill continue throughout April and May, with NORML New Zealand this week delivering an unsubmissive submission on behalf of impatient patients.

MPs to vote on the Greens’ Medicinal Cannabis Bill next Wednesday 31st Jan

By Chris Fowlie  /  January 26, 2018  /  Chris Fowlie, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  15 Comments

The Greens’ Medicinal Cannabis Bill will have it’s first vote in Parliament next Wednesday 31st Jan. This is sooner than we expected, so it’s really important to hit that keyboard and urge your MP to support the bill.

Govt medicinal cannabis Bill a huge step but should go further

By Chris Fowlie  /  December 22, 2017  /  Chris Fowlie, Most Recent Blogs, Setting The Agenda  /  5 Comments

The Government’s medicinal cannabis Bill is a huge step in the right direction – and a first for any New Zealand government – but we think a patient-focused approach should go much further.