Ed

Radio NZ 18 June 2020
Our additional comment: “The report shows almost one in three Māori live with mental illness or addiction compared with one in five in the general population.” 
Until we can fix our mental health system, the last thing we should do is add demand by legalising a mind-altering drug such as cannabis.

Mental health and addiction services have got worse for Māori since work began to overhaul the system nearly two years ago and serious gaps remain for young mums and those in forensic units, according to a new report from the mental health commissioner, Kevin Allan.

Allan, who released his latest monitoring report yesterday, said those with serious and complex problems were still missing out.

He noted there had been “significant progress” since his last full report – He Ara Oranga in 2018 – especially in early support available through primary and community care and in laying the foundations for a new stand-alone Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission, which will be up and running in 2021.

However, many of the problems highlighted in the report were “stubbornly similar” to those raised previously, he said.

“We’re moving backwards when it comes to Māori.”

The report shows:

• Almost one in three Māori live with mental illness or addiction compared with one in five in the general population.
• In 2018 (the latest available figures), 6317 people were subject to a community treatment order (compulsory treatment), an increase of three percent over one year, of whom 38 percent were Māori.
• 44 percent of those put in seclusion (where patients at risk of self-harm or violence towards others are confined to an empty cell to “calm down”).
• Suicide is the leading cause of maternal mortality, with Māori whānau most affected.

There were, however, signs of progress, including increased investment in kaupapa Māori approaches, Allan said.

“All services need to work for Māori and be culturally safe. Strengthening Māori participation and leadership in the design and delivery of services is essential – both for improving outcomes and meeting obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.”

Another area in need of urgent attention was the lack of specialist forensic services.
READ MORE: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/419262/mental-health-and-addiction-services-moving-backwards-when-it-comes-to-maori-commissioner

NZ Herald 16 June 2020
Our additional comment: Patrick Walsh is principal at Rotorua’s John Paul College, a past president of the Secondary Principals’ Association of New Zealand, and a member of SAM-NZ – a coalition of community leaders and groups promoting a NO vote in the cannabis referendum.

COMMENT:
No one disputes that marijuana is a harmful, addictive drug that has adverse effects on the physical and mental wellbeing of users.

These effects are accentuated on developing teenage brains.

Legalising cannabis use is in effect “legitimising” it so we will see an inevitable increase in its use by teenagers. My experience as a secondary school principal of 17 years tells me we will see more teenagers take it up if legalised.

This in turn will lead to more of the following behaviours in teenage users; driving while drugged, depression, suicidal ideation, poor academic results, truanting, and antisocial behaviour including crime and violence.

I have no confidence that the regulation proposed in the bill will work. Regulation has been a dismal failure with alcohol where binge drinking and drunk driving by under 18-year-olds remain persistent problems despite laws in place prohibiting it.

The same could also be said of vaping and synthetic cannabis which many teenagers engage in and where the law has failed miserably. We do not wish to criminalise teenagers for using cannabis and certainly the first options should always be an educative and therapeutic approach.

If this fails however there must be a final deterrent by having it remain on the statute books as a crime.

As a principal I have seen first hand the devastating effects of cannabis use on teenagers, their whanau and other victims. These other victims include the innocent drivers they hit, those assaulted and employers when there is a no show at work.

To be clear, I fully support medicinal use of cannabis prescribed by a doctor with a clear medical purpose. What we are being asked however in this referendum is to vote “Yes” to recreational cannabis use so people can get a legal high.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12339944

Warning Graphic Subject Matter

Parents Opposed to Pot is bringing awareness to the link between marijuana and violence in America, but we want the public to know that our hearts break for all the victims and their families and friends. Many of us are victims too. This was a difficult video to produce but the public needs to know marijuana is a risk factor for violence, especially today’s high potency marijuana.

Resources for Think Ya Know? Is Marijuana a Risk Factor for Violence?

Metanalysis- “Cannabis use in this population is a risk factor for violence.”
https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/…

Tell Your Children the Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence
https://www.simonandschuster.com/book…

Cases of cannabis-induced psychosis increase during COVID-19 pandemic
https://www.daily-chronicle.com/2020/…

Arizona child deaths marijuana
https://www.azdhs.gov/documents/preve…

Florida child deaths
https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.fadaa.org/r…

Texas child deaths
https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/About_DF…

Lewisville Texas, father kills 16-month old son
https://www.foxnews.com/us/texas-dad-…
https://cbsaustin.com/news/local/nort…

1st day of marijuana legalization 2 shot in home invasion to steal marijuana. 9-year-old home
https://komonews.com/news/local/polic…

Richard Kirk kills wife after consuming marijuana candy
https://www.rmpbs.org/blogs/news/excl…

A 15-year-old boy died and a 14-year-old is possibly paralyzed after apparently trying to steal marijuana plants from a Denver backyard.

https://www.9news.com/article/news/cr…

Deputy Parish
https://castlerocknewspress.net/stori…

Fountain Colorado 2 teens shot marijuana drug deal, brought 1 year to drug deal
https://www.kktv.com/content/news/2-t…

Columbine shooting
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2…
https://www.denverpost.com/1999/04/21...

Tucson shooter
https://www.laweekly.com/marijuana-tu…

Colorado Theater Shooter
https://www.laweekly.com/james-holmes…

Dylan Roof church shooter
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/17/us…

Colorado Springs Halloween shooter
https://www.csindy.com/IndyBlog/archi…

Colorado Planned Parenthood shooter
https://gazette.com/crime/robert-dear…

Kevin Janson Neal, California
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/californ…
https://nypost.com/2017/11/15/califor…

Sutherland Springs church shooter
https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/tex…

Parkland school shooter
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/…

NewsHub 15 June 2020
Our additional comment: “The proposed potency of the drug won’t be enough for those already using it, and gangs will continue to sell to those under 20. “It’d be a disaster for New Zealand if it’s legalised. For a lot of users, 15 percent doesn’t do it to get high, so they’ll be accessing the more potent cannabis from the gangs and [the gangs will] thrive. “I wouldn’t like to see it legalised at all. I had 35 years in the police and I spent a lot of time interviewing offenders that I arrested that had cannabis issues, and a lot of them told me they regretted touching the stuff because it ruined their lives.”” – Dave Pizzini

A former detective is warning a black market will still exist and gangs will still thrive even if cannabis becomes legal after this year’s election.

Dave Pizzini, a member of the ‘Say Nope to Dope’ campaign, believes there will be a surge of negative impacts if cannabis is legalised. Kiwis will get to vote on the issue at September’s general election.

Under the proposed legislation, THC – the main psychoactive ingredient of cannabis – can be restricted to a maximum of 15 percent by authorities. The legal age for purchasing it will be 20.

Advocates hope the Bill will eliminate illegal supply of the drug while raising awareness of the health risks of using it.

But Pizzini told The AM Show on Monday the proposed potency of the drug won’t be enough for those already using it, and gangs will continue to sell to those under 20.

“It’d be a disaster for New Zealand if it’s legalised. For a lot of users, 15 percent doesn’t do it to get high, so they’ll be accessing the more potent cannabis from the gangs and [the gangs will] thrive.

“I wouldn’t like to see it legalised at all. I had 35 years in the police and I spent a lot of time interviewing offenders that I arrested that had cannabis issues, and a lot of them told me they regretted touching the stuff because it ruined their lives.”

But Pizzini believes legalisation could put further strain on New Zealand’s health system, while also devastating lower socioeconomic areas.

“The cost to our mental health system, which is already overburdened, would be horrendous. It would increase crime because cannabis is a driver of crime.

“Our poor neighbourhoods will have a proliferation of pot shops, just like with the liquor shops in the late 1990s,” he told The AM Show, adding he believes legalisation would cause “devastation”.
READ MORE: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/06/cannabis-referendum-legalisation-would-be-a-disaster-for-new-zealand-ex-detective.html

The Denver Post 10 June 2020
Our additional comment: Many Coloradans who use cannabis daily believe it is safe to drive under the influence and say they would like to see empirical evidence that proves otherwise before changing their behaviour… In 2017, The Denver Post independently analyzed state and federal data and found the number of drivers involved in fatal crashes in Colorado who tested positive for marijuana rose sharply each year since 2013, more than doubling in that time.

Many Coloradans who use cannabis daily believe it is safe to drive under the influence and say they would like to see empirical evidence that proves otherwise before changing their behaviour.

That’s according to the results of a survey of 18,000 residents conducted by the Colorado Department of Transportation from 2017 to 2019. CDOT aimed to gauge the perception of driving under the influence of cannabis in hopes of building a campaign to reduce the number of traffic crashes and fatalities involving the substance.

In 2018, 13.5% of drivers involved in fatal crashes tested positive for cannabis, according to the agency. In 2017, The Denver Post independently analyzed state and federal data and found the number of drivers involved in fatal crashes in Colorado who tested positive for marijuana rose sharply each year since 2013, more than doubling in that time.

Though CDOT’s survey didn’t offer specific statistics, it made general conclusions about attitudes toward driving and marijuana. For example, the more often survey respondents used cannabis, the less dangerous they tended to believe driving after using it was.

Some said it even helped them drive better, the report said.
READ MORE: https://www.denverpost.com/2020/06/10/cannabis-driving-attitudes-cdot-survey/

NZ Herald 14 June 2020
Our additional comment: Great stuff from TDDA who are part of the SAM-NZ coalition…
“The Drug Detection Agency’s chief operating officer Glenn Dobson has some major concerns about cannabis becoming legal, especially for workers in the Rotorua area who could find themselves impaired to the point where they could be seriously hurt or killed. He said THC – the psychoactive compound in cannabis – was proven to affect a person’s ability to concentrate, their mental awareness, ability to multi-task and their time perception. He wasn’t convinced that wasn’t just immediately after smoking the drug when users felt “stoned”. He said from the Drug Detection Agency’s point of view any legalising of cannabis was going to create safety “headaches” for employers.”

Should New Zealanders be allowed to smoke and grow cannabis legally for themselves? Journalist Kelly Makiha takes a look at the controversial issue and explains this year’s referendum while also finding out which way some locals will vote.

“Dak heads” and “stoners” or just a harmless way of winding down that’s become socially acceptable?

In just over three months New Zealanders get to choose whether it will become legal to grow and use cannabis for recreational purposes.

Depending on which side of the argument you’re on, there are plenty of pros and cons.

The Drug Detection Agency’s chief operating officer Glenn Dobson has some major concerns about cannabis becoming legal, especially for workers in the Rotorua area who could find themselves impaired to the point where they could be seriously hurt or killed.

He said THC – the psychoactive compound in cannabis – was proven to affect a person’s ability to concentrate, their mental awareness, ability to multi-task and their time perception.

He wasn’t convinced that wasn’t just immediately after smoking the drug when users felt “stoned”.

He pointed to the Yesavage study, which showed 10 experienced licensed private pilots were impaired while flying 24 hours after smoking cannabis.

He said despite failing in areas including judging the wings, elevation and landing, the pilots reported not feeling impaired at the time.

He said from the Drug Detection Agency’s point of view any legalising of cannabis was going to create safety “headaches” for employers.”

“We are about workplace safety and any legislation that legalises the usage is going to have a negative impact on safety and for that reason, we have some concerns.”

He said potency was also a factor as cannabis nowadays was a completely different drug to what it was decades ago. He said if the Government’s cannabis wasn’t as strong and was more expensive than what could be found on the black market, nothing would change in terms of stamping out criminal growers.

“Users will look to get better bang for their buck.”
READ MORE: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rotorua-daily-post/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503438&objectid=12338579

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TVNZ One News 11 June 2020
Our additional comment: The ad claims that people who could benefit from medicinal cannabis could get much better access. Dr Kate Baddock, chairwoman of the New Zealand Medical Association, has called the claims “rubbish”. “It’s a completely misleading statement,” she told 1 NEWS. Bill Hodge, an Auckland University law professor, agrees. “This new proposal on which we’re having the referendum has nothing to do with medicinal cannabis and I don’t think the ad should have that reference,” he says. That’s because medicinal cannabis is already legal and has been prescribed in New Zealand since April.

Complaints are piling up over a brand new pro-cannabis campaign funded by the Drug Foundation.

TVNZ One News 10 June 2020
Our additional comment: Already an issue – and we haven’t even had the vote yet! Don’t open the floodgates. Vote NO.
“Waikato Detective Inspector Graham Pitkethley says the method of selling via social media allows people of all ages, including children and young people, to easily purchase and obtain such products. “It’s equally important for parents and caregivers to be aware that young people are able to purchase these products via a range of social media platforms. The psychoactive effects from eating cannabis products will be widely variable depending on the individual. This would be extremely frightening to a person eating these products unknowingly.””

Waikato police are warning Kiwi parents following a police sting which saw lollies, chocolates and baked goods infused with cannabis oil seized after being sold by a Hamilton woman through social media.

NewsTalk ZB 9 June 2020
Our additional comment: Good question Mike…
“The Drug Foundation, who should not be in the business at the best of times of being political operatives, have nevertheless decided to bring the worst aspects of Washington lobbying to New Zealand by raising money to buy spin, to twist your arm to vote yes for cannabis in September.
The question is, who’s funding them?”