SHIPLEY FIRM AGAINST LEGAL POT

Jenny Shipley says smoking marijuana should stay a crime - but
suggests first- and second-time offenders should not get criminal
convictions if they agree to give it up.

Speaking about students who turn up to school on Monday morning like
zombies, she told National faithful in Northland: "There is no case for
legalisation.

"But if we don't want offenders to have a criminal conviction we
should look to the Australian and United States experience and
consider drug courts within the district-court system. First and
second offenders are given the opportunity of diversion as long as
they undergo treatment and are committed to stop using."

Mrs Shipley said she was making a strong stand against any change in
the law and National had always been firm on drugs.

"Does cannabis cause harm? If you are 18 and younger and you are
burning up your brain cells as you smoke, yes, that does cause harm.

"If you look at a class of students on a Monday, the bloodshot eyes
and spaced-out distant look often indicates that the student is no
more ready to learn than fly."

She said the Government had more important things to do than change
the cannabis laws and that it was out of touch with school principals.

She was especially critical of the Green Party, whose Rastafarian MP
Nandor Tanczos is crusading for more liberal marijuana laws.

"Schools have been at a loss to see why a party in Parliament can set
out to damage our youth by throwing the finger up at all the
scientific evidence that links brain damage to cannabis use and
further involvement with harder drugs."

She said the incidence of dependency among Maori at age 18 was almost
three times that of non-Maori. "The Coalition and its Green allies
cannot be serious about closing the gaps if they support measures that
are likely to increase doped-out dependency."

The Government has not yet announced its plans on marijuana law
changes, but Prime Minister Helen Clark favours decriminalisation.