MPS AGREE TO DISAGREE OVER DOPE

National could support some softening of controls on cannabis, a cannabis
law reform debate in Nelson heard last night. But Nelson MP Nick Smith's
suggested alternatives to wide-ranging reform were not enough for his
opponent in the debate, Green Party MP Nandor Tanczos, who said National's
refusal to consider decriminalising or legalising cannabis was
"fundamentally flawed".

Dr Smith, who is helping to lead a nationwide petition against
liberalisation with the School Trustees Association, presented five
proposals he said he believed could tackle problems with the present laws:

* Doubling the penalties for those supplying cannabis to young people.

* Improving drug education.

* A parent education programme.

* A consistent nationwide policy so everyone arrested for the first time on
a possession for personal use charge would receive diversion and avoid a
conviction.

* Allowing convictions for minor offences such as cannabis possession for
personal use to be wiped after six years.

Mr Tanczos's key argument was that prohibition had failed, that cannabis use
was widespread in New Zealand, and that decriminalisation and drug education
was the way to address these problems.

He said prohibition prevented education and dialogue, and decriminalising
cannabis would overcome many of the problems associated with it, such as
abuse, uncontrolled availability, criminal gang involvement, and the amount
of police and court resources put into fighting it.

Dr Smith and Mr Tanczos acknowledged that they shared many viewpoints,
particularly on the need for better education about cannabis and its effects
on young people.

"Most of us would agree we don't want to see young people using cannabis,
particularly in school," Mr Tanczos said.

But he disputed Dr Smith's view that ending prohibition would increase
cannabis use, citing various research to the contrary and arguing that use
had dramatically increased under prohibition.

Dr Smith focused on the danger the drug posed to young people and people
susceptible to mental illness.

He highlighted the united opposition to legalisation or decriminalisation by
the "normally fractious" education sector, because of concerns about the
effects of cannabis on young people. He questioned how those most at risk
from the drug's harmful effects could be protected from it if prohibition
ended.

Both MPs cited copious research into the drug. Dr Smith said his evidence
showed cannabis use led to harder drugs, contributed to road crashes and
youth suicide, and affected the motivation and achievement of students.

He said even the debate on decriminalisation sent signals to young people
that the drug was okay.

The debate lasted nearly two hours and attracted about 150 people, who
packed into the National Party's Nelson headquarters at Annesbrook. It was
largely good-natured, although Dr Smith was frequently heckled by law reform
supporters.

Members of the audience were also given an opportunity to air their views,
and some passionate arguments emerged from both sides. These ranged from
warnings about the dangers of chemically-enhanced hydroponic cannabis to
calls from anti-drug campaigners for the pro-cannabis lobby to front up to
the problems the drug was causing.