Or see our Coverage of the Inquiry
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The NZ Parliamentary Health Select Committee is conducting an inquiry
into health issues and legal status of cannabis. The terms of reference
for the inquiry are: "To inquire into the most effective public health and health promotion strategies to minimise the use of and the harm associated with cannabis and consequently the most appropriate legal status of cannabis." The closing date for public submissions was 7 February 2001, but you may still be able to table a submission, and you can add to exisiting submissions. Oral testimony will be heard during the rest of this year and the report is expected to be released late this year or early in 2002. Now, we must demonstrate that there is public support for law reform. Now is the time for you to write to your MP, or visit them and give them a simple message: "change the law or lose my vote!"
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The last inquiry was the 1972-3 Blake-Palmer Report that eventually led
to the introduction of the Misuse of Drugs Act. That report recommended
prohibition be continued “only so long as it was seen to
be largely effective.” In 1998 the Health Committee investigated the mental health effects of cannabis, and while it could not look at the actual legal status of cannabis, it found "based on the evidence received, we recommend that the Government review the appropriateness of existing policy on cannabis and its use and reconsider the legal status of cannabis." Click here for more extracts from their report or here to read the full report http://www.gp.co.nz/wooc/i-papers/i6a-cannabis.html
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PO Box 3307, Shortland St, Auckland Ph (09) 302 5255 / Fax (09) 303 1309 e-mail: norml@xtra.co.nz |
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