URGE FOR CANNABIS REFORM WANES

Jim Anderton will vote against any move by Parliament to liberalise the law
on marijuana.

The Deputy Prime Minister revealed his stance yesterday in a speech opening
Alcohol and Drug Treatment Week, saying that MPs should listen to school
principals "in despair" about the effects of marijuana on children.

He also cited research which had shown that cannabis made those vulnerable
to psychotic illness even more vulnerable.

Mr Anderton has long expressed deep concern about mental illness and youth
suicide. One of his daughters took her own life in 1993.

His going public against liberalisation is another sign of the waning
enthusiasm among MPs for a change in the marijuana laws.

The Government has made a commitment to review the laws, but has not made a
commitment to change. Any legislation will likely be subject to a conscience
vote in Parliament.

Health Minister Annette King appears to have backed off getting her
officials to conduct the review, now preferring a parliamentary committee to
do the work. But National says it does not want to be part of any select
committee review.

Mr Anderton said that if a recent study - showing that a third of young
people were trying marijuana before they turned 17 - was correct, "then
we're making a mistake by making criminals out of them all.

"But I believe we're making a mistake by giving any signal that marijuana is
okay or by making it more available."

Commenting on other drug moves yesterday, Prime Minister Helen Clark said
that alcohol and drug treatment and prevention services had been badly
neglected in recent years, but noted that the latest Budget would direct
$24.4 million into the area over the next four years.