TVNZ One News 29 June 2020
Our additional comment: Excellent result – despite a significant spend by the Drug Foundation ($300k)..
“According to the poll, those more likely than average to be against legalising cannabis are National Party supporters and people aged 70 and over. Those more likely than average to be for the legalisation of cannabis are Green and Labour Party supporters, people aged 18-29, Wellingtonians and Māori.”
Kiwis who were hoping they might soon be able to smoke cannabis legally might be out of luck, according to the latest 1 NEWS Colmar Brunton poll.
Those polled were asked if they are planning on voting for cannabis to be legalised or to remain illegal at this year’s referendum:
Legalise: 40% (up 1 from February’s poll)
Remain illegal: 49% (down 2)
Will not vote: 1%
Don’t know/refused: 11% (down 2)
*Percentages do not add to 100% due to rounding.
The spokesperson for Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) New Zealand, Aaron Ironside, which is running the Say Nope to Dope campaign, said “most Kiwi families know that legalisation is not a great idea”.
“We’re quietly confident that this number (49 opposed) will continue through the referendum.”
SAM New Zealand has taken its name from, and is working closely, with an American lobby group which opposes legal cannabis.
Smart Approaches to Marijuana US vice president Luke Niforatos told 1 NEWS he “strongly recommends New Zealanders vote no in this very misguided initiative”.
Mr Niforatos said the US group has been helping its New Zealand partner where it can.
“We’ve been supplying a lot of information, speakers and other experts…we’ve not provided funding at this stage because there just hasn’t been a need at this point but we are fully partnered with this affiliate in New Zealand,” he said.
READ MORE: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/majority-kiwis-still-against-legalising-cannabis-according-latest-1-news-colmar-brunton-poll
