MINISTERS STUDY CANNABIS LAWS

Wellington: The Government has begun work on reviewing the legal status of
cannabis, with Justice Minister Phil Goff and Health Minister Annette King
going on a fact-finding mission to Australia.

Mr Goff and Mrs King met police and health officials from the State
Government in Adelaide on Tuesday to examine the long-standing South
Australian practice of issuing instant fines for minor cannabis offences.

Mrs King said yesterday the idea had merit but there was a lot of work to
be done before considering whether it could be introduced in New Zealand.

The Labour-Alliance coalition supports the view of Parliament's health
select committee, which recommended in December 1998, after an eight-month
inquiry and 70 submissions, that the legal status of cannabis be reviewed.

Mrs King said that since the mid-1980s, South Australia had treated
possession of small amounts of cannabis for personal use as an offence
attracting a fine of between $50 and $150 rather than as a crime dealt with
through the courts.

The approach was also used to educate people about the health risks of the
drug.

"I think there is some merit in it. I think that it is worthwhile us
getting more information on and putting it into the discussion."

Mrs King said Australia was a good place to study alternative approaches to
cannabis, as its states had different laws.