PETITION TO STOP CHANGES TO DOPE LAWS LAUNCHED

A petition was launched in Parliament yesterday to stop any further moves to
decriminalise cannabis.

A review of cannabis laws is scheduled during this term of Parliament, with
decriminalising the drug the main option up for discussion.

That would make it a ticketing offence, like speeding, for people caught
with small amounts of cannabis.

The petition was jointly launched by the School Trustees Association and
National's education spokesman, Nick Smith.

It will be circulated to all 2700 schools in New Zealand and presented to
Parliament in October.

In Invercargill yesterday, Dr Smith said the petition was an opportunity to
mobilise parents and get the Government to rethink the issue.

"We want to try to mobilise parents, schools and the community to send a
very clear signal to the Government to drop it."

For the first time in 10 years there was an issue that bought together every
group involved in education, parents, Maori and the National Party, Dr Smith
said.

"Young people need cannabis decriminalised as much as they need a gun to
their head. The drug destroys young people's vitality, ambition and capacity
to learn."

A select committee into the legal status of cannabis should not go ahead
because the longer the question was open the more damage was done, he said.

Invercargill MP Mark Peck said he supported decriminalisation because young
people could do "something silly" and end up with a criminal conviction
which would follow them all their lives.

However, he did not support greater liberalisation of cannabis laws.

National list MP Eric Roy said he did not support liberalising cannabis laws
in any way.

"You only have to look at what has happened in ACT and Victoria (in
Australia).

These people now making money out of marijuana will not take up carrying
bricks or delivering groceries. They move up the next rung of the ladder,"
he said.