POLL MAPS SWING IN DRUG LAW OPINION

Wellington: Most New Zealanders want the Government to either decriminalise
or legalise cannabis for personal use, according to a poll in The Dominion
newspaper yesterday.

The UMR Insight poll found that 41% of New Zealanders believe cannabis use
by people over 20 should be punished by instant fines rather than criminal
conviction.

A further 19% want personal use of the drug legalised for people over 20.

Only 37% of people would prefer that cannabis use remain a criminal offence.

In Wellington, 51% of people surveyed supported instant fines, compared with
39% in Auckland and 35% in Christchurch.

UMR Insight said 36% of people surveyed declared they had tried cannabis, a
rate slightly below those recorded in earlier surveys.

Declared use was much higher among younger New Zealanders, with 70% of under
30-year-olds saying they had tried cannabis.

Fifty-six percent of Maori respondents said they had tried the drug.

Males (43%) were more likely to declare personal use than females (30%).

Cannabis laws have become a political football after the Government promised
to review them. Prime Minister Helen Clark and Green MPs have expressed
support for decriminalisation.

National Party leader Jenny Shipley and Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton
have reservations about making changes.

The poll found 67% of Labour voters favour softer laws, as do 65% of
Alliance voters, 56% of Act New Zealand voters and 54% of National voters.

NZ First supporters are the only voting group where a narrow majority (53%)
prefers the status quo.

Support for a law change is strongest among high income earners.