TANCZOS 'SHOULD GO'

Whangarei: The mother of a Northland surfer who died from an overdose of
ecstasy wants cannabis law reform MP Nandor Tanczos out of Parliament.

"I don't think Nandor Tanczos should ever be in Parliament," Dianne
Langridge told a cannabis forum held by Opposition leader Jenny
Shipley in Whangarei on Monday.

Jamie Langridge died after taking ecstasy at a party in March. His
family later said he had been addicted to cannabis since his teens.

"We saw our son become withdrawn, treat us as enemies . . . it's just
like you've lost him," Mrs Langridge said.

She said she believed God would hold accountable any MPs who favoured
liberalising cannabis laws for the damage they would do to New Zealand.

She said that on a visit to Parliament two weeks before her son's
death, she had prayed: "Lord improve him [Mr Tanczos], or remove him.

"I think he should go," she said.

Mr Tanczos has admitted infrequently smoking cannabis as part of his
Rastafarian faith and wants people to be able to grow and possess the
drug for personal use.

Kamo High School principal Richard Abel said this year had been
particularly bad for cannabis at his school. He questioned whether
there was a link between that and the stance taken by Mr Tanczos.

"We have a leader of the country openly flouting the fact he smokes it
and wants it to be easier for other people to smoke," Mr Abel said.

"He says you shouldn't smoke it if you're under 18. To say that to a
13-year-old is a nonsense."

He believed cannabis use was one of the most serious causes of failure
by secondary school pupils.

Mr Abel said an idea being floated by Mrs Shipley for the introduction
of Australian and United States-style drug courts here was attractive.

Under the proposal, first and second-time offenders could be given the
opportunity for diversion by the court, provided they underwent
treatment and committed to stopping drug use.

Mrs Shipley said Mr Tanczos had done a huge amount of
damage.

Those promoting liberalisation of cannabis laws were winning the
battle.

Whangarei psychologist Les Gray was the only speaker to attack the
concept of prohibition, saying present laws were creating a worsening
cannabis problem.