How cannabis legalisation will help balance justice’s racist scales

With the 2020 cannabis referendum fast approaching, New Zealanders have a unique opportunity to let the government know what they want from drug reform. It will then be up to our policy makers to decide whether drug reform will focus on changing outcomes for those struggling under historically racist policy. By the time Tricia Walsh … Read more

Colonialism, drug laws and incarceration: a tragedy in three parts

US justice reform activists Deborah Small and asha bandele say white supremacy and colonialism are at the heart of punitive drug laws. They spoke to Teuila Fuatai about how drug reform can reverse their effects on minority communities.  Deborah Small sees Donald Trump as the US Dorian Gray. “He’s the physical manifestation of what America … Read more

Rebuilding from the rubble of the failed war on drugs

After more than 40 years the war on drugs has had brutal consequences for justice in New Zealand. The movement to end the war is gathering momentum.  Like most wars started by the United States, the war on drugs was launched for spurious and racially-motivated reasons by cynical political hawks. And like most wars started … Read more