Green Party Bill on medical cannabis as pointless as Dunne’s meaningless reform

Julie Anne Genter had her medical cannabis reform members bill pulled out at the same time as David Seymour’s Euthanasia Bill. It would see an amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Act that would allow cannabis supply for medical users.

It’s too little too late by the Greens and is as pointless as Dunne’s attempt last week to remain politically relevant on the issue.

The Greens have middle classed themselves and desperately attempted to reinvent themselves as not radical. This has allowed a Party like TOP to trump them with an actual market for legal cannabis and has left the Greens scrambling in panic to woo back the radical vote they have conspicuously ignored over the last 3 years.

The latest Poll result showing the Greens slipping 2 points should concern them.

This Members Bill is likely to be pointless because a full review of the Misuse of Drugs Act is on the cards and may make this attempt to amend needless because the entire thing needs an overhaul. This is a point Russell Brown makes...

Genter’s bill is written as an amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Act. It’s entirely likely that the MoDA reboot and voting on the bill will aiming to amend it will overlap, and that the two could be in select committee at the same time. Genter’s bill – if it passes its first reading –  would go to the Health select committee. These things are political decisions, but consideration of new Misuse of Drugs Act might also go to Health. It will need to be managed.

…the naked truth however is that this Bill simply doesn’t go far enough.

You would have to be with a terminal illness or terribly sick to gain anything from this law that the Greens are proposing. 7000 NZers a year would still be arrested, Gangs would still be empowered and no tax revenue would be generated.

It’s a weak Bill that sells a shallow dream of reform.

It’s timid, it’s fainthearted and it’s feeble.

In the war on drugs, this is effectively the Greens waving the white flag of surrender.

Too little, too late from the Greens.