NO RELAXATION ON CANNABIS LAWS - DUNNE

The Government will look at an open-minded and balanced approach to
reducing drug use but there will be no relaxation of the laws around
cannabis, Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne said today.

There were too many mental health problems, respiratory diseases and
social issues related to cannabis for the Government to consider
legalising the drug, he told an international drug policy symposium in
Wellington.

Reports that levels of cannabis and methamphetamine use had levelled
off were encouraging, but were not a reason for complacency, he said.

"Evidence indicates a balance is needed between reducing supply of
drugs through interdiction and enforcement, and also reducing the
demand for drugs through prevention and treatment strategies, if we
are to be effective in reducing adverse health and social consequences
of drug misuse."

Drug Foundation chairman Tim Harding said it was important the issues
were taken seriously.

"The problem we face is that sound policy is not always popular or,
for that matter, obvious. It has to be based on solid foundations of
research, experience and a liberal dose of wisdom."

Police Deputy Commissioner Rob Pope released an Illicit Drug Strategy
at the conference, which detailed the police response to drug related
crime until 2010.

The strategy focused on methamphetamine, cannabis and how to protect
and deter groups that were most at risk of using the drugs.

"We now have increased capacity with the new National Intelligence
Centre (NIC) based at Police National Headquarters." Mr Pope said.

"This is going to enable us to more actively record intelligence
around drug related crime from each police area and district."

The strategy recognised that cannabis and methamphetamine were the
biggest drug issues in New Zealand, he said.

"Preventing today's young people from becoming tomorrow's drug users
contributes to reducing harm and reducing the overall crime rate."

United Nations director of policy analysis and public affairs at the
office on Drugs and Crime, Sandeep Chawla, told the conference the
international community needed to work together to continue stemming
the use of illicit drugs.

The multilateral drug control regime had contained illicit drug use to
less than 5 per cent of the world adult population, and hardcore
problem drug users to less than 1 per cent, he said.

"There has been considerable reduction over recent decades in the
consumption of opiates, the most problematic of drugs, and opium
cultivation and production has been limited to just one or two
countries in the main."

However, he said containment did not mean the problem had been solved
and consequently a thriving criminal black market in drugs had emerged.

"It also appears we have created a system where those who fall into
the web of addiction find themselves excluded and marginalised,
tainted with a moral stigma, and often unable to find treatment even
when they want it."

Mr Chawla said the international community must renew its commitment
to existing conventions and work together on reforms based on
empirical evidence rather than ideology, and that public health, the
first principle of drug control, must be brought back to centre stage.

The symposium is being held as a precursor to a March meeting of the
UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna where the direction of
global drug policy for the next 10 years will be set.

It is due to finish tomorrow.