NZ Herald 9 October 2020
Our additional comment: Studies have proven that both short-term and long-term use of cannabis can impair staff performance and impact on health and safety. “Cannabis particularly affects people operating machinery and tools and driving vehicles,” said Kirk Hardy, CEO of The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA). “Drug-impaired employees tend to cause more accidents and have slower reaction times. Cannabis use can reduce mood, memory, motor-coordination, and decision-making ability.”

Many employers are hazy on how the cannabis law reform referendum could affect workplaces.

Can staff smoke a spliff at work? Can you drug test staff if they are stoned? Will workplaces be able to enforce drug testing procedures for a lawful substance?

If New Zealand legalises the recreational use of cannabis, workplaces should review drug and alcohol policies and testing procedures.

Reduce risk of impairment
Cannabis is the most commonly used illegal drug in New Zealand. If cannabis is legalised following the referendum, it will become regulated and more widely accessible.

Studies have proven that both short-term and long-term use of cannabis can impair staff performance and impact on health and safety.

“Cannabis particularly affects people operating machinery and tools and driving vehicles,” said Kirk Hardy, CEO of The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA).

“Drug-impaired employees tend to cause more accidents and have slower reaction times. Cannabis use can reduce mood, memory, motor-coordination, and decision-making ability.”
READ MORE: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/julia-shallcrass-how-to-prepare-workplaces-for-cannabis-reforms/VZ6JQ6S4BGA4WMOX2BI3PR2EN4/

NZ Herald 8 October 2020
Our additional comment: “A GP who smoked cannabis daily, prescribed medication for his patient’s brother and made a fake profile to lie to the medical council about his ongoing drug tests has been suspended for two months. The Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal found the practitioner behaved in a way that was negligent and likely to bring discredit to the medical profession.”
Cannabis use does that….

A GP who smoked cannabis daily, prescribed medication for his patient’s brother and made a fake profile to lie to the medical council about his ongoing drug tests has been suspended for two months.

The Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal found the practitioner, who has name suppression, behaved in a way that was negligent and likely to bring discredit to the medical profession.

He did not attend the hearing on the advice of his psychiatrist.

The doctor was yesterday censured for his professional misconduct and suspended for a further two months.

The doctor has been suspended and unable to work as a practitioner since November 2017.

In April 2015, the Health Committee ordered the doctor to be assessed by a psychiatrist, who found the doctor was dependant on cannabis and used it daily – even when he was working.

He was ordered to have regular drug tests, which had to show he had not been using cannabis for him to be able to practise again.
READ MORE: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/doctor-who-smoked-cannabis-every-day-including-at-work-censured/Z4VR6KUK6AZFO2BI2QYX5MTZNU/

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TVNZ One News 10 October 2020
Our additional comment: The Road Users Forum says legalisation will mean more cannabis use and therefore more drug driving accidents. “We’re worried about more people being on the road that are impaired and putting truck drivers at risk,” spokesperson Nick Leggett said.   

The trucking industry is raising concerns about the move to legalise cannabis, claiming it’ll mean more drugged drivers and accidents on our roads.
READ MORE: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/concerns-over-drug-driving-trucking-industry-worried-cannabis-legalisation

NZ Herald 8 October 2020
Our additional comment: John Key gets it. Helen Clark doesn’t
“If you want to see more drugs in New Zealand society, vote yes. But if you don’t, vote no.” Key said it was a “load of nonsense” that the Government would make more money – it would instead be spending more on mental health issues, for example, he said. “In the end, if you want a society where there are more prevalent drugs and your kids are more likely to take them, vote yes. Personally, I’ll be voting no.”

Former Prime Minister Sir John Key has come out swinging against the cannabis referendum, saying it was a “load of junk” to think legalising marijuana would see the end of gangs.

And he has defended National leader Judith Collins, telling Newstalk ZB’s Mike Hosking today that she was doing “really really well” despite hiccups on the campaign trail.

On the cannabis referendum, Key said he would be voting no.

“The point of a referendum, right, is to give people a chance to have their say.

“Whether you want to vote yes or no for cannabis, basically, it doesn’t really matter whether Jacinda Ardern is voting one way or the other – you’ll make up your own mind.

“If you want to see more drugs in New Zealand society, vote yes. But if you don’t, vote no.”

Key said it was a “load of nonsense” that the Government would make more money – it would instead be spending more on mental health issues, for example, he said.
READ MORE: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12371339

NewsHub 7 October 2020
Our additional comment: Well said Ronji 👍
“When you look at pokie machines, liquor stores and loan sharks in our communities there are broken models already operating in our communities. Now we’re thinking about experimenting by legalising cannabis. I think it’s a broken model that we want to apply that doesn’t work in one area and all of a sudden we think it’s magically going to work in another area.”

Helen Clark has clashed with a community worker over whether the proposed Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill will make things worse for south Auckland.

Appearing on Newshub’s The Cannabis Question debate on Wednesday night, the former Prime Minister and Ronji Tanielu had a vigorous argument about the benefits of legalisation.

Tanielu understands there are some protections within the proposed Bill, but doesn’t believe they are enough.

“When you look at pokie machines, liquor stores and loan sharks in our communities there are broken models already operating in our communities. Now we’re thinking about experimenting by legalising cannabis,” he said.

“I think it’s a broken model that we want to apply that doesn’t work in one area and all of a sudden we think it’s magically going to work in another area.

“I think coming from a community perspective, from a community I love in south Auckland, I believe the challenge here is that I think this is an ideological drive for middle New Zealand to legislate their own agenda but package it in a way that it’s going to help us brown communities around the country. I absolutely disagree with that.”

Tanielu disagreed, saying legalisation won’t get rid of the tinnie houses.

“I’ve talked to some of the boys who are in that world. You’re not going to get rid of them if we legalise cannabis. You’re never going to get rid of that market,” he said.

“One of the things I’m passionate about is the voice of communities. Right now the voice of communities is disempowered by the liquor industry, by the pokie machines, by the lenders.

“So when we’re talking about this model that’s already broken in other areas and we think that communities or all of us are suddenly going to have some sort of power or voice, it doesn’t happen in those places. What makes us think it’s going to happen if we legalise cannabis?”
READ MORE: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/10/helen-clark-clashes-with-community-worker-over-tinnie-houses-in-south-auckland.html

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NZ Herald 6 October 2020
Our additional comment: SayNopeToDope’s Aaron Ironside said there was “no place for being complacent” with less than two weeks until voting day. “We want people to be informed. This is an evidence-based campaign. If cannabis is legalised, more cannabis will be used than ever and more young people will be exposed to cannabis. We still are finding out that people think we’re talking about medicinal cannabis and only when people look at the effects of legalisation in other countries, they see that they don’t want to open Pandora’s box.”

The cannabis referendum is on a knife-edge, with a new poll suggesting voters are narrowly leaning towards a yes vote.

A new poll released by the Helen Clark Foundation and the New Zealand Drug Foundation this morning shows 49 per cent of respondents support the legislation, while 45 per cent oppose it.

When those who responded “unsure” were asked which way they were leaning, a further 2 per cent leaned in favour of voting for legalising recreational use of cannabis.

The results differ with a recent Colmar Brunton poll, released on September 26, which showed support for the legislation was going up in smoke.

TVNZ’s Colmar Brunton poll saw just 35 per cent of respondents saying they supported the bill, with 53 per cent of respondents opposed.

And the latest Newshub Reid-Research, released six days ago, showed just 37.9 per cent of responders in favour of the legislation, compared to the 50.5 per cent against it.

However Say Nope to Dope spokesman Aaron Ironside says UMR poll’s results were a far cry from the sentiments he’s seen over the past two years.

“It’s going against the trend of the national polls and our internal polling, which show a large gap between those in favour and those against, with a large majority against the legislation,” he said.

Ironside said there was “no place for being complacent” with less than two weeks until voting day.

“We want people to be informed,” he said.

“This is an evidence-based campaign. If cannabis is legalised, more cannabis will be used than ever and more young people will be exposed to cannabis.

“We still are finding out that people think we’re talking about medicinal cannabis and only when people look at the effects of legalisation in other countries, they see that they don’t want to open Pandora’s box.”
READ MORE: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12370587

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SunLive 3 October 2020
Our additional comment: Well said Larry (as always 🙂 )
“Marijuana is often portrayed as harmless. Nothing could be further from the truth. Marijuana changed my personality, altered my motivations in life, and distorted my perception of reality and what I should be pursuing as a career.” Before embarking on a lifestyle of smoking dope he found he was in the top academic classes at Tauranga Boys’ College. He says taking up smoking marijuana caused him to drop well down to the lower achieving sixth form classes.”
A common occurrence – sadly.

In this year’s General Election, as well as voting for future leaders, we can also vote in a referendum on whether the recreational use of cannabis should become legal.

The Weekend Sun asked Tauranga City Councillor Larry Baldock, who himself was once a regular dope smoker, whether he was voting ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

“There are many reasons why I will vote ‘no’ in the upcoming referendum,” says Larry.

Larry recounts being raised by his solo mum in Gate Pa, alongside five siblings.

“In the spring of 1969 after I had just turned 15, a friend asked me if I wanted to try something exciting called LSD. I had not taken any drugs before, or even been anywhere near drunk, but this sounded like it might be fun.

“I can’t deny that it was.”

Larry spent the following six years smoking marijuana a lot and taking LSD every now and then.

“I was lucky as a teenager to have escaped some of the deadly consequences of drug use in the wild experimental times of the late 60s and early 70s. Some of my friends did not.”

Larry says most rational thinking people know that LSD, methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin are dangerous, but says marijuana is often portrayed as harmless.

“Nothing could be further from the truth. Marijuana changed my personality, altered my motivations in life, and distorted my perception of reality and what I should be pursuing as a career.”
READ MORE: https://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/253228-larry-on-cannabis-yes-or-no.html

NZ Herald 3 October 2020
Our additional comment: “…of the “thousands” who communicate through a particularly active online forum for former police staff, most will vote against the introduction of the bill, and only “a handful” will disagree.”
Of course. Police know the harm and have had to mop it up. They’re realists. We should listen to them.

To police officers who have dealt with cannabis-addled offenders over the years kicking the Cannabis Legalisation Bill to the kerb is a no-brainer.

Speaking ahead of the referendum being conducted in conjunction with the general election, former Napier detective Barry Searle says that of the “thousands” who communicate through a particularly active online forum for former police staff, most will vote against the introduction of the bill, and only “a handful” will disagree.

A former workmate paints the picture even more precisely, saying there were 6304 members last time he looked, and there’d be just “maybe four” who are in favour of the bill.

Now living in Taupo, the 66-year-old Searle says there are six adult voters in the family, and none will be supporting the introduction of the bill.

Having spent 14 years in the police before turning to private investigation and then loss adjustment in the insurance industry, he says most police and other emergency service workers will have seen the worst impacts of cannabis use, which is essentially benchmarked by damage to the health of young users.

While there are strong penalties proposed for anyone supplying cannabis to people aged under 20 years, he doesn’t see it deterring teenaged and even childhood use of cannabis, and given the forbidden-fruit allure of cigarettes and alcohol to young people it is possible young people’s use will increase if legalisation takes place.

He has no issue with the medicinal use already provided for, or big concern about adult use, although he does highlight the now publicly-recorded impacts of adults who took to cannabis use in their jobs, as undercover police officers investigating illicit drug dealing.

He says to put any of the issues ahead of the health questions related to young people’s use, and other excessive use, “makes no sense”.
READ MORE: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12369882

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NZ Herald 2 October 2020
More and more New Zealand farmers are planting a crop that they were banned from growing for eight decades or so.

They are setting aside land to raise hemp, for use in cereals, oils and textiles.

It’s still very much in its infancy, but for some, hemp is seen as a useful crop to offer diversity on the farm.

As big money flows into medicinal cannabis, and with the upcoming referendum on recreational cannabis use, hemp’s profile is rising — even though it is far removed from the narcotic strain that gets all the attention.

Proponents wax lyrical about hemp’s many uses — everything from hemp oil for joint health through to “hempcrete” for construction. To its backers, hemp really is the miracle plant.

They say the plant can also offer benefits to the landowner, through its ability to lock up carbon.

Research into growing hemp in New Zealand started in 2006, and the regulations covering the crop were amended at the end of 2018.

In that time an industry has built up, particularly around hempseed and oil.
READ MORE: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12369573

Radio NZ News 1 October 2020
Our additional comment: “We have broken systems when it comes to alcohol and pokie machines and both alcohol and pokie machines are all over my community in South Auckland and all over communities with higher deprivation, lower income families. The model brought out here with this cannabis bill is to basically re-do the same model. If government can’t control the harm and damage that comes to families through pokie machines and alcohol, how the hell are they going to control the harm that comes from cannabis because I believe it’s a business model that’s putting forward profit over people,” – Ronji Tanielu.

The question of whether cannabis should be legal has divided New Zealanders for years, but what does the Pacific community think of the bill?

The 2018-2019 New Zealand Health Survey found 15 percent of adults had used cannabis in the past year – but for Pacific, the figure was slightly higher at 17 percent.

Pacific community leaders around New Zealand have weighed in on what the cannabis legalisation and control referendum will mean for their communities.

South Auckland community worker Ronji Tanielu is strongly against the bill and said lower income families, including Māori and Pacific, would be harmed if the bill became law.

“We have broken systems when it comes to alcohol and pokie machines and both alcohol and pokie machines are all over my community in South Auckland and all over communities with higher deprivation, lower income families.

“The model brought out here with this cannabis bill is to basically re-do the same model.

“If government can’t control the harm and damage that comes to families through pokie machines and alcohol, how the hell are they going to control the harm that comes from cannabis because I believe it’s a business model that’s putting forward profit over people,” Tanielu said.

Tanielu has said increased consumption of cannabis would damage all four pillars of one’s holistic health.

“Research shows that prolonged use of cannabis, especially at higher THC level has direct impact on suicide, respiratory problems, some mental health issues, psychosis, lung cancer, heart issues and an increase in the number of hospitalisation, so in terms of health for Pacific people, it’s a disaster.”

Tanielu has rejected claims that decriminalising cannabis will mean fewer people will end up in prison.

In August, National leader Judith Collins revealed the entire National party caucus had decided to vote against the Cannabis Legislation and Control Bill in the referendum.
READ MORE: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/427339/pacific-leaders-weigh-in-on-cannabis-referendum

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