An agreement between Labour and Greens guarantees a referendum on the personal use of cannabis before or with the 2020 general election (it is looking likely it will be alongside the election).
A Horizon Research poll (commissioned by licensed medicinal cannabis company Helius Therapeutics) conducted in October shows majority support “on legalising the personal use of cannabis”:
- Yes 60%
- No 24%
- No opinion 16%
That only a quarter say they would vote No is probably more significant than the Yes percentage.
Of course this could change when we know what the referendum question will actually be, when the public is informed, and the issue is debated (and no doubt activist groups will do their best to persuade for or against),
Questions about a regulatory framework were also asked.
- 63% want a regulated market for legal cannabis with licensed operators
- 68% want any tax revenue should go towards health services
- 58% said penalties for breaking the law in a legal cannabis market should be about the same for breaking the law on alcohol sales
28% support severe penalties - 40% support a Government excise tax
- 39% want the legal age to buy cannabis to be 18
- 18% supported the Government owning and controlling all production and sale of cannabis
Use of cannabis:
- 10% use cannabis daily
- 55% have used cannabis at some time
I think I would support for change (depending on what the referendum choice is. I have never used cannabis, I just think that the current situation is working poorly and the law needs to be reformed.
…of 995 adults 18 and over, and weighted to be representative of the population at the 2013 census. The margin of error is 3.1 per cent
Your NZ 
Noel
/ 10th January 2019But But But the Green stoner and the Drug Foundation have been bleating its a Health Issue.
Why wasn’t the question on decriminalization?
PartisanZ
/ 10th January 2019Make alcohol a health issue and elevate it to decriminalization status then …
NOEL
/ 10th January 2019Go for it.Wonder what the poll results would be.
PartisanZ
/ 10th January 2019In the case of alcohol – effectively a 72% harmful Class B drug – the poll results would be a good indication of addiction, dependence, over-use and problem-drinking levels …
Zedd
/ 10th January 2019tautoko PZ
for decades we have been hearing words like: ‘Legalise or Decriminalise’, BUT most who want cannabis reform, just want a ‘level playing field’.. ‘Regulation’
a UK ‘scientific advisor’ to a previous PM, was sacked for saying such things. He stated (paraphrased) that IF, Alcohol & Tobacco were to be put on the same scales as ‘other Drugs’.. then: Alcohol would be Class B & Tobacco would be Class A, based on their levels of addiction & social harm/deaths etc. He also reportedly said that ‘Rugby & Horse riding are more harmful than Cannabis’ (based on Stats; hospital admission etc.)
PartisanZ
/ 10th January 2019So cannabis wouldn’t even rate a Class C?
Zedd
/ 10th January 2019@PZ
Im hoping that the MODA 75 (current law) is finally dumped in the rubbish bin & a new law for all DRUGS be introduced; ‘Treat ALL Drugs as a health issue… NOT a Criminal justice one’ as the main theme
NOEL
/ 10th January 2019Y’all can’t proclaim its a health issue and then not take decriminalization into discussion.
Zedd
/ 10th January 2019Pls define ‘Decriminalisation’ ?
Its just a word of: confusion.. it is often seen as a ‘soft option’ BUT it usually does not define the supply chain. How can you support ‘decrim.’ (of use ?) but no clues about, how do we legally get the stuff.. to use ?
OR are you suggesting that supply remain totally ILLEGAL ??
😦
NOEL
/ 10th January 2019Aw Zedd this has been a discussion point for sometime.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/93142481/whats-the-difference-between-decriminalising-and-legalising-cannabis
Duker
/ 10th January 2019The Horizon survey wasnt a random sample poll, it was an online survey where they plug people to participate.
I used to be on the survey panel years ago . They would send emails to encourage participation , win prizes and other encouragement. If the topic interested me I would try out the questions . Mostly life is too short to ( mostly) talk about commercial questions of phone plans and life insurance .
Its only one step up from those joke online polls that are around.
NOEL
/ 10th January 2019Explains the 340,000 who they claim have use cannabis.
Duker
/ 10th January 2019The way they plug their ‘surveys’ online meant if it was a question you were really interested in you ploughed through all the other questions ‘to have your say’
im sure the numbers who participated in that one was a big jump from their previous run of the mill surveys – that should have rung alarm bells, plus a surge in the 18-35 demographics who suddenly have taken part.
But it was a commercial job anyway to be used as publicity for the cannabis group paying
Duker
/ 10th January 2019This is the sort of inducements Horizon uses to get ‘participation’
Big winners – and more to come!
3 Oct 18 – An East Coast Bays retiree has won our September 30, 2018, major prize draw! Aucklander Elizabeth W joined our HorizonPoll panel in April, 2017. She wins $2199 in cash! And a Tasman District farmer, Arnold M, has won our special member-only draw for $500 cash…
https://www.horizonpoll.co.nz/Topic/11/maori
be in to WIN !
Looked up the survey immediately previous to the Cannabis one
“The 983 adult respondents were given a yes or no answer choice”
https://www.horizonpoll.co.nz/page/527/68-want-bin
Compared with
https://www.horizonpoll.co.nz/page/531/poll-says-t
The nationwide online survey of 2,105 adults ….
A 214% increase in those answering the survey …. and they dont think the results are just chance ?
Whats the bet the next survey drops way back to below 1000 again.. Ill keep you all posted
PartisanZ
/ 10th January 2019Is ‘inducing’ or even paying people to take a survey any worse than the advertorial articles and lift-outs that appear in Northland’s papers espousing the virtues of ‘Four Lanes + Chinese Investment’? The distinctly ‘Blue’ lift outs … literally Blue!
All forms of engagement have become financialized or commodified … ‘The Social Contract’ has become ‘Legitimized Corruption’ throughout the system …
The Body Politic has blood-poisoning …
The so-called Fourth Estate got absorbed into it … Money Rules, OK?
Another thing to thank Rogerednomics for I guess … They had to sell it to us somehow …
Zedd
/ 10th January 2019I found this in a press release (same poll ?)
* ACT: 49 percent yes/ 26 percent no
* Green: 84 percent / 14 percent
* Labour: 63 percent / 17 percent
* National: 33 percent / 48 percent
* NZ First: 56 percent / 26 percent
* 18 – 24 years: 68 percent agree
* 25 – 34 years: 75 percent agree
* 33 – 44 years: 72 percent agree
* 45 – 54 years: 58 percent agree
* 55 – 64 years: 58 percent agree
* 65 – 74 years: 30 percent agree
* 75yrs or over: 37 percent agree
Whilst it seems to be a ‘foregone conclusion’.. we need to actually wait & see. beware the ‘apathy of the masses’ who may not even bother voting !?
I am concerned that the whole thing, maybe left to politicians (the question(s)) with little or NO public input. Democracy is about the ‘Will of the people’ not just those making all the ‘buzz’ in the beehive
PartisanZ
/ 10th January 2019It’s the approaching, impending ‘buzzzz’ in the media I’m worried about, as the Christian & Religious Conservative lobbies gear up to campaign at enormous expense against Drug Law Reform, End of Life Choice and Abortion Law Reform …
Already the Drug Law Reform issue has been simplistically reduced down to a reeferendum on the legalization of cannabis …
What about all other drugs, licit and illicit, as a health issue?
Pete George
/ 10th January 2019Zedd
/ 10th January 2019I thought Mr Little said there would be ‘public input’ (town hall meetings ?) not just ‘invited groups’.. Im still waiting to hear, IF/when this may be happening in Otepoti/Dunaz. Perhaps they want to exclude the ‘extremists’ (like I&I ??) 😀
Duker
/ 10th January 2019Thats misleading, as those were just election dates. Those areas that were still dry had a vote whether to ‘continue’ as a dry area . No such vote in wet areas.
Such a mix of local votes on ‘wet or dry’ are very common in US. It came up the other day that 1/3 of Alabama counties are dry
Only a few electorates had continuing votes after the 1940s
acrossthespectrum
/ 10th January 2019NORML National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.
Normalizing Marijuana use is a job for the spin Doctors.
60% “support” could be 90% have concerns.
What does “support” even mean?
It’s not “yes” A definite maybe, maybe?
Agree, sort of agree, kinda agree, not really keen but will consider,
don’t really agree but if you keep it away from me,
will pretend to support but really hope it fails?
“Personal” use? implies that use is not really an issue
It’s now really only a matter of addressing concerns
about growing and dealing which regulating the issue
will make Cannabis use well NORML. Right?.
This is promoting the use of marijuana like you would
the introduction of online banking or any other business model.
And the the big winner in NORMALising Marijuana is……
The spin Doctor’s. 🙂 and a substantial tax intake.
Please like, tick and subscribe
The margin of error for this article I just wrote is 00000.1% because I said so. 🙂 🙂 🙂
PartisanZ
/ 10th January 2019So you’re a Rightie who is against personal freedom and freedom of choice?
After spending all those Rogerednomics & Ruthanasia years campaigning for “a level playing field” and convincing the ‘Kiwi’ public that’s what we need and what we must fight for … “individual freedom”!!!
Well well well … Welcome to the Club … You’re in good company on here.
acrossthespectrum
/ 10th January 2019No I was commenting on the way information is sold in general. Just as tobacco and alcohol have been legal for so long while Cannabis has been illegal for so long has been all down to spin. Now the same spin techniques long used to criminalise marijuana use are being used to legalise Marijuana use. Spin/ propaganda is all invasive in life. “Righties” smoke Marijuana as much as lefties. yet that is not the story we are told. Right wing dominated NZ media keeps that under wraps. “Righties” definitely smoke P and cocaine a great deal more than lefties because “righties can afford the top shelf stuff more. But “rightie” use of top shelf drugs is hidden better by mighty righty media dominated spin that’s all. So my emphasis is on the power of spin not any personal opinion on Marijuana use.
PartisanZ
/ 10th January 2019Okay … I get that now … and I generally agree …
Cocaine and P have long been like ‘oil additives’ in the sump oil of Alcohol that lubricates much of ‘business’ in capitalist countries …
Interestingly, it’s apparently very prevalent in the ‘high powered’ Advertising & PR industries …
Zedd
/ 10th January 2019Chloe S (Grn MP) said that she would prefer, that a Govt. bill be written (with all the rules & REGULATIONs, clearly outlined) then the public would be asked (at the Reeferendum) if they would support its passage. I support this idea 100%
Of course it would require public input & participation (at least read its content, even if not actually contributing). IF it wins support, it will go to parliament & go through the process.. inc. Select committee/public submissions etc. then could be amended (IF required) before being finally passed into law 🙂
Its called ‘Democracy’ folks 😀
Zedd
/ 10th January 2019“VIVA LA REVOLUCION !!!” 😀 😀
PartisanZ
/ 10th January 2019Funny world when the actual functioning of Democracy equals Revolution …
PartisanZ
/ 10th January 2019I support this idea 100% too …
The thing that fucks me off mightily about it is that, if the reeferendum says “yes” to a pre-written Bill that’s already had public input and consultation, we’ll then have something like our fourth round of public input and consultation in yet another Select Committee process for this Bill, on top of two already this year plus the one for the drafting of the Bill itself … and the same 17 years ago …
What fucks me off even more is that the result of the reeferendum could depend on how much money the Christian Conservatives are prepared to throw at their anti-cannabis campaign … 2E4E … The Church might ultimately decide the State’s legislation!
The Christians’ kids are in such terrible danger from this ‘drug’ …
The moral hold of Christian Conservatism clearly is not enough to keep them safe!
Zedd
/ 10th January 2019I agree PZ.. the ‘power/money of the Christian RIGHT’ is a real concern, on this issue.
Maybe they need to be reminded that ‘GOD created all things in Heaven & on Earth’.. inc. Cannabis, Opium, Coca, magic mushies & peyote cactus etc. etc.
In Genesis he approved them all for consumption (except the ‘fruit of the Tree of Knowledge Good/Evil’) I dont think Cannabis is this ‘Tree’.. its a plant !!
acrossthespectrum
/ 10th January 2019I would have thought the Christian right is a necessary balancing mechanism like a strong left wing non religious mechanism. There is a place for us all across the spectrum (my scream name of course). i don’t fear either group but see them as an an essential variable in the mix both with little real power but a respectful and rightful place nevertheless
NOEL
/ 10th January 2019Zedd said
“Of course it would require public input & participation (at least read its content, even if not actually contributing). IF it wins support, it will go to parliament & go through the process.. inc. Select committee/public submissions etc. then could be amended (IF required) before being finally passed into law.”
Save 26 million and go straight to the Select Committee where anyone, includes you and me Zedd, can make a submission. Then the pollies do the job they are paid for, not fobbing off to Joe Kiwi.
PartisanZ
/ 10th January 2019Says a probable supporter of the Swiss ‘direct democracy’ system which uses this sort of process, along with mandatory and citizen initiated referenda?
The last cannabis law reform HSC fiasco – [or was it the one before? The “inconclusive” one] – certainly put paid to the idea of Select Committee integrity … The pollies did what they get paid for there: They fucked it up along Party lines … especially National …
Then slightly expanded Clayton’s Legislation was passed after some ‘back room dealing’ … as I see it …
Zedd
/ 10th January 2019‘Save 26 million and go straight to the Select Committee where anyone, includes you and me Zedd, can make a submission. Then the pollies do the job they are paid for, not fobbing off to Joe Kiwi.’ sez Noel
1) It may have cost $26mil for the FAILED ‘Key-flag’ Ref. but that was not done at election time
2) a ‘Reeferendum’ will hopefully see greater participation. IF you ‘go straight to select committee’ you would likely find only the ‘political junkies’ & extremists (on both sides) get involved ?!
sez Zedd
PartisanZ
/ 10th January 2019Zedd says correctly …
Zedd
/ 10th January 2019cheers PZ
BUT… just one of many opinions..
it does seem that; slowly but surely the tired, outdated, FAILED attitudes & laws are actually losing their ‘credibility’.. the SOONER the better !!
btw; you can always spot the extreme (or ignorant) opposition, who during the discussions about Cannabis (inc. MED-use) start calling it ‘MARIJUANA” (a mexican slang word), that was introduced into English, as a deliberate point of confusion & Demonisation (& Racist) toward this useful plant/those who use it… that was legally used for millenia, prior to 20th century, without all the stereotypical B-S you still hear today: causes insanity & leads to ‘HARD DRUGS’ etc. etc. 😦
Zedd
/ 10th January 2019enuf sed inaianei
🙂 😀