Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Changes coming in managed isolation after 2nd escape, Hamish Walker’s political career over, and expert advice released ahead of cannabis referendum. Changes are being made to the way managed isolation facilities are run, after it emerged that a resident went for a wander around Auckland – and … Read more
With 100 days till polling day, campaigners on both sides of the two big referendums tell RNZ’s Yvette McCullough how their plans have been affected by the recent crisis, and the risks of misinformation in a largely online battle. In 100 days time, New Zealanders will wake up on a Saturday and be asked to … Read more
Longitudinal studies have a huge amount to teach us about the impacts of using cannabis, writes Joseph M Boden, director of the Christchurch Health and Development Study. In 101 days, New Zealanders will determine whether or not cannabis should be legalised. In making that decision, there is plenty to learn from the Christchurch and Dunedin … Read more
The government has announced the shape of the cannabis legalisation bill that we’ll vote on in September’s referendum. So if the country decides to vote yes, what will the new rules be? What’s all this then? When New Zealand goes to the polls in September, we won’t just be voting on local MPs and who … Read more
Just months from the referendum, myths and misinformation about cannabis legalisation continue to proliferate, writes Fiona Hutton. I was recently invited to Whanganui by the organisers of the Science Forum there – they wanted a panel of experts with knowledge about drug research to discuss the cannabis referendum. There was an audience of just over … Read more
In today’s edition: Views on cannabis legalisation could hardly be tighter, the Papua New Guinea PM arrives in NZ, and bad light threatens cricket on the radio. A new poll published this morning finds that 46% of those surveyed would vote yes, and 44% no, with 10% undecided. That’s a markedly different finding to the Newshub/Reid … Read more
Later this year New Zealand will vote on whether to legalise cannabis, but it’s far from a new idea, as a 1975 study reminds us. Alice Webb-Liddall looks at the views of two Otago University academics, 45 years apart. In 2013 Uruguay became the first country to fully legalise cannabis for recreational and medicinal use. … Read more
The bill unveiled this week represents an excellent opportunity to take control of the supply of cannabis and properly reduce harms, writes Joe Boden, director of the Christchurch Health and Development Study. By now the harms associated with cannabis use are well-known. Research from New Zealand – in particular the Christchurch and Dunedin longitudinal studies … Read more
There have been concerns raised about the limit of cannabis that would be purchasable daily under a legalised regime. But what about the other drugs? Yesterday in the House of Representatives, Paula Bennett took to her feet and held aloft a bag (aka “baggie”) of herbs. It was oregano, reportedly, but the impeccable stagecraft had … Read more
The essential details on the plan to put the legalisation of cannabis to the public at the next election. Let’s cut to the chase. What will the referendum question be? A straight yes/no: “Do you support the proposed Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill?” What will be in the bill? You can read it here. TLDR, … Read more
Hāpai Te Hauora CEO Selah Hart responds to recent criticism of the Māori Public Health organisation’s stance on cannabis law reform. The negative feedback highlights a lack of understanding of what public health really is, she writes. In November we were told to “stay in our lane” during a lively but poorly-informed discussion on The … Read more
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
From unequal conviction rates to a glimmer of light on synthetics, here’s what the Drug Foundation’s State of the Nation report tells us. Reports of raids, drug busts and arrests appear in headlines every day. The next biggest methamphetamine seizure is guaranteed to grab attention. But with all the hype, it’s hard to make out … Read more
Last night, the two titans of the cannabis referendum came together for their first televised debate on the issue – Paula Bennett and Chlöe Swarbrick. This was a matchup a long time coming. Paula Bennett and Chlöe Swarbrick have skirmished on the cannabis referendum for months, with heated exchanges on social media about the issue, … Read more
Five experts, all from countries with varying levels of cannabis legality, came to Auckland funded by Massey University to speak on the benefits and costs of the drug before New Zealand’s cannabis referendum in 2020. Alice Webb-Liddall reports. While New Zealanders wait for the cannabis referendum in 2020, the government is working hard to draft … Read more
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
Next year former National MP Chester Borrows will be voting “yes” on the referendum to legalise personal cannabis. He spoke to Teuila Fuatai about his ideological journey. Chester Borrows tells a good yarn. Tales from his cop days and salt-of-the-earth banter are part of his appeal. He even uses phrases like “just nuts”, “bonkers” and … Read more
Experts are warning that the legalisation of cannabis could increase the levels of contamination in other crops and impact our trade relationships, writes Zac Fleming. Warnings have been raised with the government that New Zealand’s trade relationships could be compromised by food contaminated with cannabis if the plant is legalised. On at least four occasions … Read more
The New Zealand Drug Foundation has just released a proposed model for the legalisation and regulation of cannabis in Aotearoa. With the 2020 referendum fast approaching, what should the government be considering in their approach to this legislation? As the days tick down towards 2020 and the referendum on cannabis legalisation the NZ Drug Foundation … Read more
Green Party MP Chlöe Swarbrick watches Patrick Gower’s documentary on cannabis, On Weed, which starts tonight on Three. We haven’t had a great deal of local, in-depth, visual reporting on cannabis in Aotearoa New Zealand, so when Paddy Gower announced his intention to produce a documentary on the issue, public interest was piqued. It’s been … Read more
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
The government wants to call the vote on legalising marijuana a binding referendum but it isn’t a binding referendum, explains Graeme Edgeler. So, the government has announced a binding referendum will be held on the legalisation of cannabis? No. The government has announced a non-binding referendum on the legalisation of cannabis. They want to … Read more
The details for the 2021 referendum on legalising personal cannabis use have been published. What will the question be? Will there be legislation and can the government elected in 2020 change it? And are cannabis cafes on the horizon? Russell Brown makes sense of it all Since the 2017 confidence and supply agreement between the … Read more