Cannabiz.com 4 November 2020
There’s a brilliant book about politics in the age of Donald Trump and Twitter called Yes We (Still) Can by Dan Pfeiffer, former communications director in the Obama White House.

In a section called Best Messenger Wins, he describes asking a panel of voters after the 2016 election to sum up Donald Trump’s campaign message. The audience would shout back as one: “Make America Great Again!”

When he asked if they knew what Trump’s argument against Hillary Clinton was, they would say: “Lock Her Up”.

But when the same questions were asked about Clinton’s campaign, there were a range of responses, and none uttered with much conviction.

“For all of Trump’s offensive statements and absurd tweets,” writes Pfeiffer, “he had a clear and consistent message that broke through.”

The passage came back to me last Friday when the interim results of New Zealand’s cannabis referendum indicated the No campaign had won the day.

This is by no means a criticism of the Yes campaign. But in an age when nuanced discussion will always be drowned out by snappy soundbites, it’s increasingly hard for positive arguments to be heard.

Saying what you’re against is so much easier to sum up in 280 characters or less.

Especially if the case you are making is less than straightforward. Just take a look at the proposed Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill.

It would allow people aged 20 or over buy up to 14 grams of dried cannabis (or its equivalent) per day from licensed outlets; enter licensed premises where cannabis is sold or consumed; consume cannabis on private property or at licensed premises; grow up to two plants, with a maximum of four plants per household; and share up to 14 grams of dried cannabis (or its equivalent) with another person aged 20 or over.

That’s a lot of detail to digest. It’s not surprising that people without skin in the game appear to have put it in the “too hard’ basket.

A quick look at two of the campaign websites sums up the difference.

On saynopetodope.org.nz there are a series of posters featuring the “too precious to be wasted” tagline and some powerful imagery. An All Black here, a crashed car there, and a group of children playing happily outside a “Dope Shop”. All underscored by the core message “Say Nope to Dope”.

Meanwhile, over at makeitlegal.nz there are “20 reasons to vote yes” and a detailed explanation of the Advertising Standards Authority’s decision to deny a complaint by the No campaign about one of its ads pointing out the negative consequences of keeping prohibition.

The site notes: “The Noper campaigns, guided by their US handlers, have been pulling a range of dirty tricks against us… Spurious complaints, trying to get us banned from social media, sowing misinformation and confusion, it’s all par for the course. New Zealand people and New Zealand institutions will not be swayed by these kinds of tactics.”

Unfortunately, barring a near 70:30 Yes majority among special voters turning over the interim result, that’s precisely what will happen.

Because as much as progressive voters might like to think otherwise, for many people facts really do get in the way of a good story. Just look at the US for evidence.

There were undoubtedly other factors at play. There are around one million Kiwis living overseas at any one time and that won’t have helped. They are more likely to be younger and more tolerant of cannabis use. Yet there are only 480,000 special votes still to be counted.

The fact that the euthanasia vote went 65% Yes suggests it may have been older people stuck at home who tipped the balance against cannabis, while their children were off travelling the world.

It’s always good to blame the oldies when things don’t go your way. Or the prime minister, for only announcing her voting intentions after the result was announced.
READ MORE: https://www.cannabiz.com.au/the-nz-cannabis-referendum-and-us-presidential-election-prove-its-the-simple-messages-that-cut-through/

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Radio NZ News 5 November 2020
Our additional comment: Revealing the ultimate agenda…
“The Drug Policy Alliance, a New York-based advocacy group, has been a major backer of Measure 110 and spent more than $US4 million on campaigning. It is supported by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and investor George Soros, who is a member of its board….
[T]hose opposed argue that it would undermine the role of courts in helping people receive drug treatment. Critics have also said it is unclear how juveniles would be penalised, and whether their parents would be notified.”

Oregon has become the first US state to decriminalise the possession of hard drugs, including cocaine and heroin.

People caught with small amounts of drugs for personal use will now have to pay a $US100 ($NZ149) fine or have a health check at an addiction-recovery centre.

Oregon also becomes the first state to legalise the therapeutic use of hallucinogenic mushrooms.

The new measures were approved by a public vote as part of a nationwide push to relax drug laws.

Elsewhere, voters in Arizona, New Jersey, Montana and South Dakota passed a ballot to legalise marijuana.

They join 11 other states, and the District of Columbia, which have already given the green light to the recreational adult use of cannabis – a drug that is still prohibited on a federal level.

Violations of Oregon’s current state law against drug possession carry a maximum penalty of a $US6250 fine and up to a year in jail.

But despite the change in policy, people in Oregon who manufacture or distribute hard drugs will still face criminal punishment. Possession of larger quantities could result in misdemeanour charges, rising to felony charges if the quantity is considered large enough to be commercial.

The Drug Policy Alliance, a New York-based advocacy group, has been a major backer of Measure 110 and spent more than $US4 million on campaigning. It is supported by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and investor George Soros, who is a member of its board.

Kassandra Frederique, the group’s director, told broadcaster OPB that the win was “a huge sledgehammer to the cornerstone of the war on drugs”.

“Oregonians understand that we should be treating drug use as a health issue,” she said.

Advocates have argued that current legislation has overcrowded prisons with non-violent offenders, and disproportionately affects non-white communities.

But those opposed argue that it would undermine the role of courts in helping people receive drug treatment. Critics have also said it is unclear how juveniles would be penalised, and whether their parents would be notified.

Jim O’Rourke, a leading opponent, told The Oregonian newspaper he was disappointed that “voters have been misled.”

“Both sides need to come together with the governor and legislature and give the voters what they really intended – saving lives and more treatment beds,” he said.

Countries including Switzerland, Portugal and the Netherlands have already taken similar measures to decriminalise possession of small amounts of hard drugs and invest in “harm reduction programmes”, according to the United Nations.
READ MORE: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/429905/oregon-becomes-first-us-state-to-decriminalise-hard-drugs

Marijuana Business Daily 30 October 2020
Our additional comment: New Zealand setting a worldwide trend 🙂

The German federal parliament rejected a bill to legalize a “strictly controlled” adult-use cannabis market, dealing a major setback to recreational marijuana reform efforts in that country.

The rejection came despite the fact that a majority of the members of the Bundestang belong to a political party that favors some type of reform.

Legalization efforts during this legislative period are extremely unlikely because:

• German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right, Christian-democratic political alliance – the Union – opposes any liberalization.
• The Social Democratic Party (SPD) is in favor of some reform – at least allowing experimental pilot programs – but cannabis reform has taken a back seat among Social Democrats who prefer to vote in tandem with their government coalition partner, the Union.
• Without favorable votes from at least some members of the government coalition parties – which have a majority in parliament – no legalization scenario is possible.
• Although most opposition parties are in favor of some type of legalization, they remain in the opposition and can’t agree on how that should be accomplished.

The rejected bill was tabled by the Green Party and had the support of only The Left party. The votes of the two parties combined fell short.
READ MORE: https://mjbizdaily.com/germany-rejects-recreational-marijuana-legalization-bill/

NewsTalk ZB 2 November 2020
Family First Comment: Once again, Kate completely nails it…
“I found the pro-campaign heavily one sided. It was bolstered by the Drug Foundation and Helen Clark… all of whom put out endless amounts of information, or should I say misinformation – from it being about medicinal, to it coming out of the hands of gangs -which was never going to happen. There was a lot of propaganda peddled and I worried New Zealanders would fall for it if they didn’t do their own research. The preliminary results reassuringly show Kiwis didn’t fall for it.”

Well what a relief Friday was.

The right result in the cannabis referendum – although it’s preliminary and given how this year’s gone I wouldn’t rule anything out in terms of upsets or dramatic swings… it could still tip over to a yes with specials, but it’s a very very long shot.

Chloe says she’s proud of her campaign, but critics would argue she didn’t have one – apart from her appearing on every media platform she could. For a Greens backed referendum it probably needed more Greens than just her pushing it.

I found the pro-campaign heavily one sided. It was bolstered by the Drug Foundation and Helen Clark… all of whom put out endless amounts of information, or should I say misinformation – from it being about medicinal, to it coming out of the hands of gangs -which was never going to happen. There was a lot of propaganda peddled and I worried New Zealanders would fall for it if they didn’t do their own research. The preliminary results reassuringly show Kiwis didn’t fall for it. Although Chloe argues it’s on a knife edge – 53% to 46% is not a knife edge.. it’s a gap of 7 percent. She also lashed out at Jacinda Ardern for not stating which way she’d vote, that in some way the acolytes of Jacinda would’ve followed her like sheep if she’d promoted a yes vote. But the PM didn’t want to alienate centrist voters, she sat on the fence with it because that’s what populists do. Jacinda wanted to win votes more than she wanted to win the cannabis referendum and that’s the result she got.

Decriminalisation may’ve worked, but I think legalization was a bridge too far. I don’t know why we’d want to rush something as serious as this, I would’ve thought waiting to see how other countries go, would be the smart move. Why would we want our little nation to be guinea pigs for something as serious as drug reform?
READ MORE: https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/early-edition/opinion/kate-hawkesby-the-right-result-in-the-cannabis-referendum/

NewsTalk ZB 2 November 2020
Family First Comment: Well said, Mike….
“The Drug Foundation, an apolitical organisation, should be ashamed of itself, and it’s just as well the Chief Executive has quit because he was the chief instigator. Helen Clark should have known better. And as for her polls which told a completely different story to the real ones, we need to ask some serious questions over what sort of opinion is available for hire.”
Yep.

I think most of you will realise the election result wasn’t my dream come true. But in all honesty, what I really cared about was the cannabis vote.

You could have given me several bad election days and one good win on weed, and I would have been happy. I am more than happy.

53% to 46% is a good result. It’s a clear gap, it’s a solid victory, it backs up, to a large degree, the polls, and most importantly of all it shows that middle New Zealand was having none of the madness.

How it ever got to go to a vote is a massive failing of the system in and of itself. It was the pet project of fringe nutters in the Greens, and acquiesced to by Labour. It was dangerous and made worse by the fact those that pedalled the idea of throwing yet more social misery on the country would pretty much say and do whatever was necessary to get it across the line.

The Drug Foundation, an apolitical organisation, should be ashamed of itself, and it’s just as well the Chief Executive has quit because he was the chief instigator. Helen Clark should have known better. And as for her polls which told a completely different story to the real ones, we need to ask some serious questions over what sort of opinion is available for hire.

But through it all, common sense won the day.

The media should hang, at least, some of their heads in shame. The number of pro-stories got embarrassing. We didn’t hear often enough from the doctors who treated the psychosis, the parents who dealt with the suicides and illness, or the lives that had been lost or wasted.
READ MORE: https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/opinion/mike-hosking-what-i-really-cared-about-was-the-cannabis-vote/

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Radio NZ News 2 November 2020
Our additional comment: Good call.
Also focusing on why Maori disproportionately use drugs would also be a good call.
Prevention and education matters.

The New Zealand Māori Council has called on the police to use their powers of discretion to stop sending Māori to prison for low-level drug offences now the cannabis referendum looks unlikely to pass.

Cannabis referendum: Auckland Councillor Efeso Collins of Say Nope to Dope camp backs decriminalisation
NZ Herald 30 October 2020
One of the campaigners against legalising cannabis says the referendum result shows a “clear mandate” for decriminalising marijuana.

Chlöe Swarbrick optimistic in light of unsuccessful cannabis referendum
TVNZ One News 30 October 2020
Preliminary results for the recreational cannabis referendum showed 53.1% against and 46.1% in support. However, the preliminary result does not include special votes – estimated to make up 17% of the overall result that could impact the result.

Stuff co.nz 1 November 2020
Our additional comment: The Yes campaign harped on that 80 per cent had tried cannabis – [those people] were annoyed to be included in the group that thought cannabis should be legalised. There wasn’t any narrative. Most tried and decided it is not something they wish to use.”
The No-campaign had been funded by “ordinary Kiwis”, he said. “We have not needed to raise any corporate money or overseas money. We didn’t enjoy having to continually rebuff accusations we were US funded. It simply wasn’t true. We didn’t receive a solitary cent.”

Say Nope to Dope spokesperson Aaron Ironside rejected the idea that campaign messages had misinformed the public.

“What [the Kia-Ora Dopy advertisement] was, was artistic,” he said.

“We had to do something that would move people’s hearts. The community hated the dairy becoming an alcohol shop. We simply posed the question: What if that iconic shop becomes a cannabis shop?

“If people didn’t like it becoming a booze shop, they are certainly not going to want it to become a dope shop. I don’t think there is anything misleading.

“I think people most delighted in the potential scandal of it were already yes voters … Much more people were swayed after discovering medicinal cannabis was legal and changes to the Misuse of Drugs Act. We think that’s what swayed people consolidating a No position.”

The no-campaigners had worked hard to be heard and believed it was a “David and Goliath” battle with only two registered referendum No campaigns and nine Yes campaigns, he said.

“Certainly, we were very aware both in terms of the number of messages and number of media pieces that seem to be in favour of the yes position… I think at the end of the day, lobbying either side only touches the periphery. I think most know what they think about these issues.”

The referendum showed it was difficult for a sub-culture to make cannabis use relatable to ordinary Kiwis, he said.

“The Yes campaign harped on that 80 per cent had tried cannabis – [those people] were annoyed to be included in the group that thought cannabis should be legalised. There wasn’t any narrative. Most tried and decided it is not something they wish to use.”

The No-campaign had been funded by “ordinary Kiwis”, he said.

“We have not needed to raise any corporate money or overseas money.

“We didn’t enjoy having to continually rebuff accusations we were US funded. It simply wasn’t true. We didn’t receive a solitary cent.”
READ MORE: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/cannabis-referendum/123239460/did-misinformation-sway-cannabis-referendum-votes

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