NO CHANGE TO CANNABIS LAW - GOFF

The Government gave an assurance in Parliament today it would not change the
legal status of cannabis, citing its agreement with United Future.

The health committee is due to release its long-awaited report on the health
effects of cannabis tomorrow that it has been investigating since late 2000.

The Greens had hoped its finding would provoke a public debate leading to
decriminalisation but any chance of that happening disappeared when the
Government signed its support agreement with United Future after the last
election.

With the report about to be published, United Future MP Judy Turner asked
Justice Minister Phil Goff if the Government intended changing the status of
cannabis this parliamentary term, or introducing legislation to change the
law in the next term.

"I can categorically rule out any change to the status of cannabis," Mr Goff
replied.

The Government would carefully consider the committee's report, but that
would not include the possibility of decriminalisation.

Opposition MPs wanted to know what would happen if a Labour MP introduced a
member's bill to change the status -- an unlikely event given the deal with
United Future.

Mr Goff said nothing could be done to stop any MP introducing a member's
bill and drug issues were usually decided by a conscience vote.

Ms Turner said if a member's bill was brought in, United Future would expect
the Government to oppose it.

"Clearly, we would expect the spirit of this key condition of the confidence
and supply agreement to be honoured under all circumstances," she said.

"The Government saw fit to block vote on matters such as anti-smoking
legislation now before the House, so where there's a will there's a way."

So far, no MP has produced a member's bill to legalise or decriminalise
cannabis.

Green MP Nandor Tanczos drafted one but has not put it in the member's bill
ballot.

The Green party said at the weekend it was going to relaunch its campaign
for cannabis law reform.

Mr Tanczos, who says he regularly smokes cannabis as part of his Rastafarian
religion, is still hoping public opinion will swing behind law reform.

"We need to treat personal use of cannabis as a health issue, not a crime,"
he said. "We need to control cannabis in an effective way.

"When you look at the evidence it is clear that the current prohibition does
not reduce cannabis abuse, does not limit underage use and by criminalising
moderate adult users it creates significant problems of its own."