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New Zealand to hold 'reeferendum' on legalizing pot in 2020

30 Comments
By Raul Arboleda

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Some people seem to think there is something morally wrong with intoxicating themselves.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

This Canadian has used it since the early '70s, and committed no crime. In fact, as a few commenters have already said, the effects of marijuana on a user are almost entirely calming and benign. What's wrong with 'chilling out' in today's mad, mad world? Some of the radical fearmongerers that post herein should try some of my friend's wife's special brownies. They'd certainly see the issue from a different perspective.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

No state or country that has done this has done anything worthwhile with the tax revenue.

Didn’t bother fact checking yourself, did you. Maybe take a moment to find out what Colorado did with their tax money.

The problems caused by legalization of pot won't appear for a generation and when they do it will be the children that suffer..

Outdated Prohibitionist fearmongering.

The fact is, Canadians have a long history of smoking cannabis, and they are already a couple of generations into it. That’s when they realized how stupid prohibition is, that people were smoking it all the time, and society was functioning just fine, with the exception of the black market violence that was built around the illegality of a plant.

No, your fear mongerinf is not based in anything other than repetition of the falsehoods you were told. Nowhere has society ever played out like you describe.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

The problems caused by legalization of pot won't appear for a generation and when they do it will be the children that suffer.

What problems are you so sure of and what is your evidence?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The biggest problem politically for any politician is votes and tax revenues to allow them to use to keep power. Often what they thought and believed will be a good sources of tax revenue, opens up a boat load of related issues which must be addressed, costing many times more than the revenue they thought they could use. Meanwhile, it made a whole bunch of people wealthy or poor or in accidents and hospitals. So far drugs have always been a double-edged sword.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

show of hands. who believes that NZers will vote against decriminalization? i'm told that NZers tend to be very conservative.

Don’t they have legal prostitution? Who voted for that?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

They wont be so thrilled at the increases in crime and accidents. No state or country that has done this has done anything worthwhile with the tax revenue. The problems caused by legalization of pot won't appear for a generation and when they do it will be the children that suffer.

Let people smoke their drug on an island or a cruise ship.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

show of hands. who believes that NZers will vote against decriminalization? i'm told that NZers tend to be very conservative.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I haven't smoked weed in 20 years but live & let live. What's that old Mencken quote about Puritanism. The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, might be happy.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Australia and New Zealand have simple drug tests used by police at random breath test stops. You can grow your own when its decriminalised but the easy option is just go shopping at the local store. I read somewhere that to even come close to death you would have to consume a telephone pole size joint in 12 hrs. Good luck with that. In both countries consumption of alcohol in public is an offence, smoking tobacco anywhere other then a designated area gets you a large fine. And they will fine you. The same will apply with the weed. Selling to underage again draws a fine or jail. And they do check randomly. So a consenting adult at home should have and cause no problem.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Putting all the technical and ethical/moral issues aside, for any government, illegal means "out of government supervision and taxation'".

In today's social/economic and political environment and situation, the major merit is in "taxation" then in policing "misuse". That is if they can define "misuse" and possible legal ramifications for what that misuse is other than to grow your own and not pay taxes for it. It is very easy to grow "weeds" without much effort. They grow on their own.

The major problem is in how to define and place "liability" on the misuse of pot. There is a way to measure alcohol misuse. There is not yet a way to measure misuse that may become a legal liability.

Certainly every city, state and country that do decide to legalize it must find a way to monitor and supervise its use. It is no longer medical definition of "need" and effective use. It becomes a problem of amounts and effects and resulting action on the part of the user. Current laws in most countries now can rely only on the resultant "negative" action and "results" to determine need for "control" and for "liability" resulting from misuse.

Something that may be akin to drugs used by athletes. It may be OK for some but not when used in competition. For this... well.. I guess only time will tel.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Wouldn't be so sure it will pass. There are a lot of fairly conservative people who don't like change and will be out in force voting against it. There were a lot of good reasons to change the flag a few years ago and that didn't happen.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

"It send the message that "recreational use" of marijuana is no big deal,"

umm.... because its not a big deal!!! Just because something is legal does not mean you HAVE to do it. And no marijuana is not a big deal. I, and the world, and facts, and medicine, and science, and traffic reports, and a zillion other articles of proof can also show you with cold hard evidence, using marijuana is far less of a deal than alcohol. Sorry, why can't we compare it to alcohol? Because it is inconvenient to the argument? Lol.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Readers, no more comparisons with alcohol please.

How about comparing marijuana to sobriety? The latter is the clear winner there.

I don't really think so. I'm sober 98% of the time. Being not sober the other 2% makes that 98% more fun.

There is nothing wrong with intoxication. Humans have been doing it since the dawn of time.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

As I predicted, once Canada showed the world that prohibition is a joke, it will quickly topple in other countries around the world. There is no good reason for it to be illegal, and plenty of good reasons for it to be legal.

Nice to see the world waking up.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

"Cannabis is New Zealand's most common illegal drug, 50 percent of the country have tried it," he said. 

That's the thing, kiwis know a thing or two about weed. Would be totally different in a country that's still new to it. Plus, like Oz and a few other countries, they have a much bigger pbm with ice and other pills. Don't think there's a strong correlation between pot and DV?

As an aside, does that mean bhang lassi is ok?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

It send the message that "recreational use" of marijuana is no big deal

It's not.

that it's not harmful in any way.

No, it doesn't send that message. And if it does, then education should be provided so people know the truth about it.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

"And no comparisons between marijuana and alcohol, please."

Yet one is legal and the other is not. How about we compare marijuana to tobacco instead? Should the governments around the world criminalize tobacco? The recreational use of marijuana is NOT a big deal. Just like drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes are not a big deal. Legalizing it doesn't negate the harm that it can cause. People operating heavy machinery or vehicles shouldn't be high while doing so. Young people whose brains are still developing shouldn't be getting baked all the time either. But what gives you the right to dictate what PLANTS another adult can use? What makes YOU so superior than your fellow human beings to hold a view like that? Answer is: you're not. Authoritarian ideas like yours need to be relegated to the dustbin of history.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

@jimizo, Where it has been legalized in the states, they have consultants to walk you through everything available to purchase and you must be of age (21).

Good idea.

Cheers for the info.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

A cannabis dependency...Lol

@hakman, Why is legalizing pot a horrible idea? You clearly don't have a reason, or just forgot to state it. I don't think anyone would compare it to alcohol, because it's effects are completely different, people do not become dependent on it, you can't overdose on it, it has health benefits, and as far as I know, doesn't cause domestic violence issues. So I would say its in a league of its own, incomparable.

@jimizo, Where it has been legalized in the states, they have consultants to walk you through everything available to purchase and you must be of age (21).

10 ( +10 / -0 )

 We'll also get other forms of ingestion that don't involve smoking and produce more measured doses.

My brother used to make it in tea - best cuppa I ever had!

7 ( +7 / -0 )

How about comparing marijuana to sobriety? The latter is the clear winner there.

Best laugh I've had all day (without Pot, too!)

9 ( +9 / -0 )

The more legal it is, the more people will develop varieties for what people want. I doubt many people want full on room-spinning freakout. They just want giggly, smooth, and a bit spacey to make tunes and movies better, with no morning-after effects. We'll also get other forms of ingestion that don't involve smoking and produce more measured doses.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Pot is fun in moderation.

One concern I’d have is the different varieties. I tried one crazy arse variety in Amsterdam and I was a slobbering, gibbering wreck. It wasn’t a good experience.

Do they clearly label the strength or effects of different varieties?

4 ( +6 / -2 )

awesome!! Go NZ!!!

5 ( +6 / -1 )

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