NO DOPE FOR UNDER-18S - MP

NELSON - Green MP Nandor Tanczos wants students to wait until they are 18
before deciding whether or not to use cannabis.

Mr Tanczos yesterday commended Nelson secondary school principals for
speaking out this week about the effects of cannabis on students.

The Rastafarian MP, who smokes cannabis for religious purposes, also
applauded the school's policy of taking an educational rather than a
punitive approach towards students using cannabis.

"Cannabis use in our schools is a real problem, and it's a growing
problem," he said. "Any sensible person wants to see a decrease rapidly.

"But our policy of prohibition is not doing that."

The answer was in education, he said.

Mr Tanczos wants law changes to allow adults over 18 to grow and possess
cannabis for personal use.

"My message to young people is clear," Mr Tanczos said. "I discourage young
people from using cannabis, because if people are going to have problems
with cannabis, they are much more likely to happen if they start young.

"They should not even think about making a decision on using cannabis until
they are 18."

Nelson MP Nick Smith took issue with Mr Tanczos' comments.

"He openly admits he smokes dope regularly, but in the next breath says 'we
need education programmes to tell young people they should not'," Dr Smith
said. "No amount of education will substitute for the damage he has already
done in making dope cool.

"Young people see straight through the hypocrisy of saying 'Do as I say,
not as I do'.

"It is like an alcoholic parent expecting their teenager to drink
responsibly," Dr Smith said.

Mr Tanczos replied that Dr Smith needed a reality check. "Nick Smith
criticises me for saying we need to change the policy. The policy does not
work. We desperately need to find a better way. We need to be consistent in
our messages.