What People Are Saying

Roll over the photos to learn what New Zealand has to say about cannabis legalisation.

“It's twisted to deny medical cannabis to people in pain."

“It's twisted to deny medical cannabis to people in pain."

Lucy Lawless

"[There] may be a case for taking more flexible approaches to offences involving possession of small quantities of cannabis for personal use."

"[There] may be a case for taking more flexible approaches to offences involving possession of small quantities of cannabis for personal use."

Sir Geoffrey Palmer

"Prohibition is not good public policy. It has not been able to reduce the demand for or the supply of marijuana."

"Prohibition is not good public policy. It has not been able to reduce the demand for or the supply of marijuana."

Rt. Hon Helen Clark

 "Being dragged through the courts and everything that goes with it – especially if you’re vulnerable already – is a very definite health hazard."

 "Being dragged through the courts and everything that goes with it – especially if you’re vulnerable already – is a very definite health hazard."

Professor Max Abbott ONZM ODM

"Any society which tolerates alcoholic consumption at the level at which we do and the prosecutes and punishes against cannabis has an extraordinary amount of self deception about it."

"Any society which tolerates alcoholic consumption at the level at which we do and the prosecutes and punishes against cannabis has an extraordinary amount of self deception about it."

Rt. Hon. David Lange

"It looks like The Government are going to eventually agree with what the rest of the world is saying.  In the meantime people are suffering."

"It looks like The Government are going to eventually agree with what the rest of the world is saying.  In the meantime people are suffering."

Sue Grey

"I use cannabis daily so I can have a better quality of life... I'm taking cannabis unlawfully. I'm dying and that's not good enough to grant me an exemption, it's ludicrous."

"I use cannabis daily so I can have a better quality of life... I'm taking cannabis unlawfully. I'm dying and that's not good enough to grant me an exemption, it's ludicrous."

Helen Kelly

"The time for cannabis law reform is now."

"The time for cannabis law reform is now."

Ross Bell

"We have a God-given right to use the plants that are available."

"We have a God-given right to use the plants that are available."

Beverly Aldridge

"Cannabis should be legally sold to adults in private social clubs."

"Cannabis should be legally sold to adults in private social clubs."

Dr. Chris Wilkins

"Why would any politician say that cannabis law reform is not on the political agenda when survey after survey of Kiwis asked whether they support medicinal cannabis has found that 80-90 percent do?...  the pace of change in New Zealand is way too slow.... The harm from criminal convictions has got to stop."

"Why would any politician say that cannabis law reform is not on the political agenda when survey after survey of Kiwis asked whether they support medicinal cannabis has found that 80-90 percent do?...  the pace of change in New Zealand is way too slow.... The harm from criminal convictions has got to stop."

Alison Mau

"As a daughter who has watched her own father lose his painful battle with cancer, I am empathetic to families who try to access cannabis products illegally... I'm hoping change for affected families and patients is coming."

"As a daughter who has watched her own father lose his painful battle with cancer, I am empathetic to families who try to access cannabis products illegally... I'm hoping change for affected families and patients is coming."

Michelle Dickinson

"The world's approach to drugs simply isn't effective. The prosecute-and-punish model has had its chance and it doesn't work... it's time for significant change."

"The world's approach to drugs simply isn't effective. The prosecute-and-punish model has had its chance and it doesn't work... it's time for significant change."

Jack Tame

"Police don't want to target the users of cannabis."

"Police don't want to target the users of cannabis."

Chris Cahill

"[Legalising cannabis] has happened  in Colorado and several other states and we just haven't had the social problems."

"[Legalising cannabis] has happened  in Colorado and several other states and we just haven't had the social problems."

John Lord

"We still spend significant sums of money on cannabis policing and convictions around dealing, the return on investment is staggeringly poor, education rather than punishment is the key."

"We still spend significant sums of money on cannabis policing and convictions around dealing, the return on investment is staggeringly poor, education rather than punishment is the key."

Jarrod Gilbert

"As a doctor I'm frustrated that there's nothing I can realistically prescribe, and I would love to have a whole range of cannabis products available."

"As a doctor I'm frustrated that there's nothing I can realistically prescribe, and I would love to have a whole range of cannabis products available."

Dr. Graham Gulbransen

"These patients have tried prescription medicines and haven't had success, and now use marijuana."

"These patients have tried prescription medicines and haven't had success, and now use marijuana."

Dr. Rick Acland

"If you want to eliminate dangerous synthetic cannabis, why not legalise the natural stuff."

"If you want to eliminate dangerous synthetic cannabis, why not legalise the natural stuff."

Neil Finn

"Cannabis Prohibition goes against basic human rights."

"Cannabis Prohibition goes against basic human rights."

Rose Renton

"We're ready to have the conversation about decriminalisation of cannabis."

"We're ready to have the conversation about decriminalisation of cannabis."

Marama Fox

Use the hashtag #ConversationNZ when posting to social media!

Use the hashtag #ConversationNZ when posting to social media!

"If we only decriminalise [instead of legalise], it's got to come from somewhere and the only place it "

"If we only decriminalise [instead of legalise], it's got to come from somewhere and the only place it "

Greg O'Connor

"Does Labour believe in cannabis reform more than for just medical purposes? Yes!"

"Does Labour believe in cannabis reform more than for just medical purposes? Yes!"

Jacinda Ardern

"You're basically making cancer patients criminals when they're just trying to cope with awful pain. So is it time that we legalise cannabis?"

"You're basically making cancer patients criminals when they're just trying to cope with awful pain. So is it time that we legalise cannabis?"

Duncan Garner

"The Westie in me says I have some sympathy as far as medicinal cannabis."

"The Westie in me says I have some sympathy as far as medicinal cannabis."

Paula Bennett

"The police and the courts spend some $100 million of taxpayer money a year enforcing this prohibition of a drug believed by many people to be less dangerous than tobacco or alcohol. Is there really any point to this?"

"The police and the courts spend some $100 million of taxpayer money a year enforcing this prohibition of a drug believed by many people to be less dangerous than tobacco or alcohol. Is there really any point to this?"

Don Brash

"Why should I be labeled a 'serious criminal offender' simply for tending to my husband's pain?"

"Why should I be labeled a 'serious criminal offender' simply for tending to my husband's pain?"

Mrs. Victoria Davis

"Many of the harms experienced by cannabis users I have known have been caused by prohibition and not by the actual cannabis use."

"Many of the harms experienced by cannabis users I have known have been caused by prohibition and not by the actual cannabis use."

Nathan Parker

"Let's give those in pain all the tools possible to fight their illness – including marijuana."

"Let's give those in pain all the tools possible to fight their illness – including marijuana."

Nadine Chalmers-Ross

"Prohibition of cannabis creates barriers to public trust and respect for the Police."

"Prohibition of cannabis creates barriers to public trust and respect for the Police."

Sgt. Angus Fisk ret.

a"New Zealand's approach to drug policy is pre-historic - we still seem to be engaged in the so-called war on drugs - a war the world lost 30 years ago. As Sir Peter Gluckman said about New Zealand's justice policy: we need to make decisions based on data, not dogma." 

a"New Zealand's approach to drug policy is pre-historic - we still seem to be engaged in the so-called war on drugs - a war the world lost 30 years ago. As Sir Peter Gluckman said about New Zealand's justice policy: we need to make decisions based on data, not dogma." 

Roger Brooking

“Ready to help NZ heal with cannabis."

“Ready to help NZ heal with cannabis."

Marc Willers

Use the hashtag #ConversationNZ when posting to social media!

Use the hashtag #ConversationNZ when posting to social media!

"I did use cannabis when I was a University student, hardly a big deal."

"I did use cannabis when I was a University student, hardly a big deal."

Peter Dunne

"Now is the time for NZ to grow up and legalise."

"Now is the time for NZ to grow up and legalise."

Dr. Huhana Hickey

"We should stop locking people away and tabooing such a medicinal plant."

"We should stop locking people away and tabooing such a medicinal plant."

Millie Elder Holmes

"Thousands of New Zealanders are choosing to use cannabis medicine, and they should have that choice without fearing prosecution."

"Thousands of New Zealanders are choosing to use cannabis medicine, and they should have that choice without fearing prosecution."

Mrs. Rose Renton

"Cannabis use should be teated as a health issue, not a criminal issue. ...but it's not just a heath issue, it's a human rights issue."

"Cannabis use should be teated as a health issue, not a criminal issue. ...but it's not just a heath issue, it's a human rights issue."

Metiria Turei

Use the hashtag #ConversationNZ when posting to social media!

Use the hashtag #ConversationNZ when posting to social media!

 "We need a binding referendum and one that legalises all cannabis possession, cultivation and production for personal use."

 "We need a binding referendum and one that legalises all cannabis possession, cultivation and production for personal use."

Dr. Julian Buchanan

"According to my research, many people who use cannabis experience benefits from their use that outweigh the harms"

"According to my research, many people who use cannabis experience benefits from their use that outweigh the harms"

Dr. Geoff Noller