Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Health minister cleans out underperforming DHB, major Zero Carbon announcement coming today, and scope of cannabis referendum revealed. The entire Waikato District Health Board has been shown the door, with health minister David Clark putting a commissioner in their place. It follows a long run of administrative … 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
Andrew Geddis sifts through the constitutional implications of forthcoming vote on legalising cannabis, and offers a warning about the way the campaign is likely to unfold Today we sort-of found out what we are going to get to vote on at this election’s “reeferendum”. We are going to get to say whether we 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
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Major biodiversity report paints bleak picture, Victim Support strongly rebuts claims about donated money, and expect a reeferendum announcement today. An alarming report into biodiversity loss and species extinction has stark implications for world. Globally, the IPBES Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystems has found that a … Read more
New Zealand has lagged behind the rest of the world in its attitude to hemp, but now innovative businesses are tapping into the nutritional benefits of this ancient crop. A pharmacist and a banker selling hemp? It sounds like some kind of dodgy drug deal. It’s not though: it’s the leading edge of the hemp … Read more
With 2020’s ‘reeferendum’ on the horizon, all kinds of businesses – from the small and local to the massive and multinational – have their sights set on lucrative new opportunities. This story was originally published on RNZ alongside this Insight documentary On a suburban street in Auckland’s Grey Lynn, Karma Cola’s road-marking-yellow, corrugated-iron-clad headquarters, encloses whirring … Read more
The cannabis referendum debate is deeply personal for some people. Nicole Skews-Poole details the agonising role weed played in her father’s life. My earliest childhood memory is opaque and soupy. The more I try and focus on its details, the more they wriggle away. But in my mind’s eye, if I stand back and pretend … Read more
The National Party has underscored the importance of the drug law reform debate by appointing its deputy leader to a new role devoted to the issue. Is there any reason for hope, or should we prepare for wedge politics, asks Russell Brown The charitable view of Paula Bennett’s appointment to the new role of National … Read more
In a foreshadowing of the excruciating debate to come, FamilyFirst have gone head-to-head with an actual scientist on the issue of marijuana. But there’s an agenda on both sides, writes Don Rowe. In one of the many not at all unhinged conversations in our Twitter mentions yesterday, FamilyFirstNZ went head to head with another user over … Read more
The Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Bill passed its third reading in Parliament, ushering in the partial decriminalisation of medicinal cannabis use. Longtime user and activist Rebecca Reider was there. A few years ago, deep in the throes of medicinal cannabis activism under an intransigent National government, I started trying to visualise our eventual … Read more
The Spinoff partnered with UMR to survey the attitudes of our readers, and the nation as a whole. Today, what do we reckon about drug reform? And what lessons can politicians take from the answers? If you’re reading this right now, there’s a reasonable chance you’re either high, or reckon people should be able to … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Small scope of medicinal cannabis changes criticised, big chunk of cash for the West Coast, and Karel Sroubek speaks out. Patients undergoing palliative care will be able to use medicinal marijuana, without fear they’ll end up being convicted, reports the NZ Herald. The change has come out of … Read more
Some time in the next two years the public will be asked to vote on whether or not New Zealand should legalise the personal use of cannabis. But how exactly should that question be phrased? We went to the experts to find out. Manu Caddie, Hikurangi Cannabis My suggested referendum questions are: Should adults be … Read more
A change to the Medicinal Cannabis Bill could ensure New Zealand made products are affordable and available as early as next year. We have a great opportunity to provide affordable access to people who desperately need it – let’s not stumble at the last hurdle writes Manu Caddie of Hikurangi Cannabis Company It probably doesn’t sound like … Read more
New figures from the coroner show close to 45 people have died in the past year due to synthetic cannabis use – up from just two across the previous five years. Katie Doyle reports for RNZ. There’s been a huge spike in the number of people dying from synthetic cannabis. Provisional figures from the coroner … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: A new medical cannabis bill has hit the member’s ballot, abortion on the agenda on Parliament’s forecourt, and justice minister Andrew Little’s message to Australia. There will be competing bills on medical marijuana, after National MP Dr Shane Reti released his own in opposition to the … Read more
Teens have smoked weed from the side of a can for decades, and probably always will. But doesn’t that give you Alzheimer’s? Don Rowe called a real life scientist to find out. There is nothing on earth quite like smoking weed off a can. Bending, crimping, poking a rush hole just so – it’s the closest … Read more
Crowdfunding platform PledgeMe has been overwhelmed by demand from investors into a medicinal cannabis company. How? Why? Find out in today’s cheat sheet. What’s all this then? PledgeMe, the crowdfunding website where you can donate to a band’s debut record, or help get an artisanal homemade coffee roaster off the ground, has a new big … Read more
Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Super Fund makes play for Auckland light rail, enthusiasm for cannabis investment crashes crowdfunding site, and Anglicans take step towards same sex marriage recognition. The NZ Super Fund will put in a bid to own, operate and build Auckland’s light rail network, reports Stuff. The Super Fund, … Read more
A social enterprise on the East Coast has been set up to capitalise on a global trend towards natural health products and bring economic recovery, Russell Brown reports. A little over two years ago in Ruatoria, 20 locals met at the invitation of a local hapū trust to discuss economic development for a community with few … Read more
The demise of the Chlöe Swarbrick-championed grow-your-own cannabis bill ended a rollercoaster couple of weeks for proponents of law reform. Rebecca Reider looks at what’s been achieved, and how far legalisation efforts still have to go. For me, and for many of my fellow medicinal cannabis patients, the last several weeks have offered an odd … Read more
Welcome to the Cheat Sheet, a clickable, shareable, bite-sized FAQ about the news of the moment – all the info you need to hold your own in a two-minute watercooler chat. Today, Don Rowe outlines the latest from NZ’s marijuana farming scene. What’s going on? The New Zealand Herald is reporting that a “bumper growing … Read more
The early signs are the coalition government is not afraid of making tough calls when it comes to healthier approaches to drug use. Stephen Blyth of the Drug Foundation lays out the challenges ahead, and reminds us it’s about more than running a referendum on cannabis. Late last Friday afternoon housing minister Phil Twyford reversed … Read more
A mother shares her story of growing up around marijuana, and using marijuana now she is a parent herself. Last week, The Spinoff Parents published a post from a mother who felt that having parents who were heavy cannabis smokers negatively impacted her childhood. You can read it here. We received a huge amount of … Read more
A public referendum on legalising cannabis for personal use may be held by the 2020 election as part of a possible agreement between the Green and Labour parties. One mother shares her own story to explain why she’s desperately hoping legalisation won’t happen. It’s a highly unpopular opinion for a 30-something year-old parent to have. … Read more
In August, Ngāi Tūhoe invited experts and community leaders to come together in Rūātoki to declare war on drug dependence. Don Rowe was in attendance. You know you’re on a marae by the laughter. Contagious, unreserved laughter, brought up from the belly. Laughter irrespective of circumstance. Laughter in the face of historic tragedy. In the … Read more
An adviser on America’s opioid epidemic says New Zealand needs to treat all drug abuse as a health problem, not a criminal one. Fresh from leading a committee advising US Federal officials on policies to address America’s runaway opioid problem Professor Richard Bonnie believes New Zealand must go beyond the legalisation of cannabis and decriminalise … Read more
An excerpt from Colin Hogg’s new book The High Road: A Journey to the New Frontier of Cannabis, in which he and his mate Bruce travelled to the US for a tour of legally available dope. Today’s big event is the Budz and Sudz Grow and Dispensary Tour. There’s a big neon noticeboard behind the reception … Read more