HALT TO CANNABIS ARRESTS SOUGHT

Pro-cannabis organisation Norml is calling for a moratorium on
cannabis-related arrests until the Government decides if the drug
should be decriminalised.

After an annual meeting over the weekend, Norml (the National
Organisation for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) said cannabis arrests
should be stopped until the health select committee completed its
inquiry into the details of a possible law change.

President Chris Fowlie, who was recently arrested and charged with
possession of cannabis, said police were targeting people to catch
them with the drug.

"The inquiry has been told that the police do not go around looking
for cannabis smokers, but that's exactly what happened to me.

"We urge the Government to consider the merits of an amnesty on
cannabis arrests so that average New Zealanders can present their
evidence without fear of retribution," he said.

Former New Zealand First MP and Youth Affairs Minister Deborah
Morris, now a spokeswoman for the organisation, said the moratorium
was needed to encourage "open and honest debate" about cannabis
issues while a possible law change was considered.