NATS SAYS 'NO' TO CANNABIS

National MPs have been given a clear message not to support the
decriminalisation of marijuana.

The party's Canterbury-Westland conference has passed a remit calling
for strong opposition to decriminalisation, which has emerged as a
political issue since the last election.

The move follows a similar remit from the party's Otago-Southland
region a week ago.

Opponents of decriminalisation referred to the health effects of
cannabis and the recent Christchurch survey which showed that 70 per
cent of teenagers had tried the drug.

Several delegates at the conference said that instead of legislative
decriminalisation, greater use of diversion should be considered for a
first offence of possession.

Young National delegate Grant Tyrrell put the minority view that there
ought not be opposition for opposition's sake. Someone who used
cannabis was dumb, but not a criminal, he said.