DOPEY START TO THE DAY?

Cannabis, dope, marijuana, smoke, grass, weed, call it what you like.
Health workers in the North are concerned that too many people are starting
their day with a 'J'.

As Green MP Nandor Tanczos pushes for the decriminalisation of cannabis,
Far North Maori working at the social coalface are adamant that it will
increase the drug problems already wrecking the lives of many young Maori
people.

Te Runanga o Te Rarawa's community liaison officer Errol Murray said the
Far North was suffering from drug abuse and he wanted no changes in the
current drug laws.

He believed that current laws could work if police enforcement reflected a
New Zealand attitude, not the zero-tolerance that some countries advocated.

He suggested marae committees could deal with cannabis and related offences
rather than schools suspending students and people being pushed through the
courts.

"At present there is too much over-reaction, but Maori communities needed
to own the problem as it is rife amongst Maori people," he said.

"Some people start the day with cannabis, smoke throughout the day and end
the day with cannabis.

"Cannabis abuse is a symptom of many social problems, not the cause. Until
the district has some economic development there is less chance of cannabis
abuse reducing."

Mr Murray said the youngest person he had counseled was 11 years old, but
that one teenager had confessed to having his first puff at 6 years.

Moerewa's drug and alcohol counsellor Ngahau Davis took part in a recent
debate on cannabis held in Wellington.

He is a reformed smoker but is now dedicated to running preventative
programmes in schools ensuring young people don't take the wrong path.

About 100 people attended the public meeting called by Mr Tanczos that was
held at Kaitaia last week. The meeting called on the health select
committee inquiry on cannabis policy to come to Kaitaia to hear submissions
such as that cannabis be regulated in the same fashion as tobacco and alcohol.