RYALL APOLOGISES FOR TAUNT OVER CANNABIS

A National Party attack on the Green's cannabis policy backfired yesterday
when Justice Minister Tony Ryall apologised for claiming his local
hospital's psychiatric ward was full of patients suffering from
"drug-induced psychosis."

Whakatane Hospital criticised the claim as inappropriate and political
game-playing.

During a radio debate about cannabis laws yesterday morning, Mr Ryall
invited Green co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons to visit the hospital's
psychiatric ward.

"It's full of young people with drug-induced psychosis. These people have
had to be admitted because of the excessive use of cannabis. It's destroyed
their lives," he told National Radio's Kim Hill.

Whakatane Hospital psychiatric unit director Debbie Brown said Mr Ryall's
comment was "a quite inappropriate thing to be saying."

Through a spokesperson, she said the psychiatric ward had seven people in
it. Four were suffering from schizophrenia, two from depressive disorders
and one was an elderly person with dementia.

Mr Ryall said later that he had talked to a lot of local health and youth
workers. "I have obviously misinterpreted what they told me and I'm sorry.
But ... cannabis use does have harmful effects on young people."

Mr Ryall had also taunted Jeanette Fitzsimons during the debate, saying she
would pursue her party's policies "if she can remember." Kim Hill asked him
to make clear that he was not alleging Jeanette Fitzsimons was suffering
memory loss because of cannabis use. Mr Ryall said he was not making that
allegation.

Jeanette Fitzsimons had challenged Prime Minister Jenny Shipley to debate
with her after Mrs Shipley attacked the Greens' cannabis policy - to
legalise the possession of small amounts for personal use - as "extremist."

The attacks largely backfired, as Opposition MPs pointed out that Police
Minister Clem Simich, several other National MPs and the Young Nationals
had advocated decriminalising cannabis.