New Cannabis Poll in favour of decriminalising means nothing
Wide support for decriminalisation of cannabis for personal use, poll suggests
Almost 65 per cent of New Zealanders want personal possession of cannabis decriminalised or made legal, detailed new polling reveals.
There is even stronger support to let people use cannabis for pain relief – only 16 per cent of New Zealanders want that to be criminal.
Even among National voters there is majority support for the law on personal possession to be reformed.
The results of the new poll, exclusive to the Herald, come just months before the Government embarks on a review of the offence and penalty regime for personal possession.
Another pointless poll by the Drug Foundation who have managed sweet bugger all in 20 years. It’s not public opinion or the science or the logic or the revenue possibilities or the racist manner the law is used against Maori or the insane situation that sees Helen Kelly made into a criminal for using cannabis or the fact so many other places have legalised – it’s none of that.
It’s a total lack of political courage.
Look at how Andrew Little acknowledged a cannabis referendum on student radio, which is just a Youth Labour Party remit, and then spent the rest of the week back peddling. It’s the total lack of political courage that is stopping cannabis reform in this country, it’s not the argument because Cannabis reformers won the argument 20 years ago!
We have gutless politicians who prefer to see their fellow NZers locked up inside prison and suffer in pain than change the law. Full marks for Labour wanting to decriminalise medicinal cannabis, but that’s just not far enough.
Is it political courage or political will? What vested interests are hampering any sort of political will for change? The liqour and tobacco industries come to mind – not to mention groups like “Family First” who are really thinly veiled right wing political groups.
Andrew Little really dropped the ball on this one. He was on the right side of popular opinion for a change (64% of NZers favour legalisation from an official poll and 70% favoured it this morning on Paul Henry’s show) and Little backpeddles. WT actual F???
Agree completely Martyn. Compassion is absent with most of these dead weight train wreck politicians.
Out of touch and gutless parliament monkeys in bed with lobbyists who control them. Tobacco and alcohol lobbyists have them by the balls.