Do not decriminalise marijuana. That is the advice youth MPs have for the Government.
Young people have taken the place of MPs in Parliament over the past few days, and a mock select committee looked at a Cannabis (Partial Decriminalisation for Personal Use) Bill.
The mock bill was voted down yesterday at second-reading stage.
During debate, Hailee Kareko, who was nominated for the Youth Parliament by the Labour MP for Te Tai Tokerau, Dover Samuels, said her province of Northland was "pretty much marijuana city."
"I have been in classrooms full of stoneheads ... Why should we decriminalise marijuana when it's already bad today?"
Rimoni Leota, nominated by National's Hunua MP, Warren Kyd, argued that the law needed to change.
"I want change, but this bill is not enough.
"The focus of this law should be on educating the masses ... and those who are at risk about the dangers of cannabis and let them make [up] their own minds about using it.
"You either legalise it or you criminalise it, not in between."
His fellow youth MPs voted 69-47 against the bill.
Green MP Nandor Tanczos, a campaigner for decriminalisation, was not surprised that the Youth Parliament voted against the bill, which proposed instant fines for cannabis use at home.
"They are appointed by MPs and cannot be said to represent the views of young people generally."
- NZPA
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