The New Zealand Police spend up to $22m a year on enforcing cannabis laws. File photo / Kristin Edge
I believe there is good reason to vote for the legalisation of cannabis beyond medicinal use (which is, unquestionably, necessary). Already cannabis is widely available, but is at present under the control of the criminal element, with issues of product contamination, coercion,
introduction to other drugs, gang involvement and so on.
Our young people are subject to these as well as mental health risks right now, and drivers already drive under the influence if so inclined. Legalisation will not cause new dangers - more likely curb them.
With legalisation we must institute a roadside testing programme (expensive but paid for by profits and tax revenue) and otherwise hope that extensive public education and government-controlled sale will keep users and the public safer than we are under the current regime, and indeed safer than alcohol (ab)use.
The article regarding the new statue at Potters Park (Weekend Herald, June 15) included criticism based upon, gender, ethnicity (skin colour), shoe brand, striped T-shirt. I saw the statue later in the day and perhaps some of those comments may have been applicable. However, my main complaint is why ratepayers' money would be wasted on something so useless, regardless of all the above issues. Recently I visited a children's playground at StoneFields near Mount Wellington where there was a clever water installation which enabled children to interact with it and learn a little bit about hydraulics. I feel something more interactive would have more appeal to children and their parents than a static piece of plastic.
Dick Ayres, Auckland Central.
So our council sees fit to have a dollshouse and a Noddy statue to represent Aucklanders' overwhelming cultural and intellectual superiority over all other NZ cities. Or is it just that Auckland city councillors or those responsible for the implementation of such childlike statuary haven't quite weaned themselves away from the little Noddy books yet?
Gary Hollis, Mellons Bay.
With competitions on TV such as Dancing with the Stars, I wonder whether it's fair the final is decided on public vote. For example, say the two finalists were from Wellsford and Hamilton, my guess is that even although the Wellsford contestants might be far superior, the Hamilton contestants would win, purely because more of the viewers live in Hamilton than in Wellsford and would probably vote for their own contestants. Just a speculation.
Alan Boniface, Snells Beach.
Correspondent Kent Millar "finds it hilarious that so many people were offended" by Israel Folau even though they don't believe in God, the Bible, Hell or the Saviour (Weekend Herald, June 15).
It is ridiculous of them, but the offence is just a claim. Some might be truly offended, some can't cope with anything less than community-wide endorsement of their life, some just hate Christianity and use the claimed hurt (whether real or not) to bludgeon Christians. As always, agendas vary. For some it's real, for others it's a nasty game.
Gavan O'Farrell, Lower Hutt.
It is totally beyond the pale that Anita Cumming's compulsion to get up at night and force her mother to help her clean has landed her in jail (NZ Herald, June 20). One is reminded of 19th-century starving children jailed for stealing bread.
The Dunedin District Court running costs must surely be greater than a psychiatric consultation to prescribe medication to calm Anita's obsessive compulsive cleaning disorder. We are sliding into a truly ridiculous world. People in high places are abrogating their responsibilities with "can't comment on individual cases". How did that stance become moral high ground?
Jim Carlyle, Te Atatu Peninsula
I received an infringement notice ($150) for driving in a bus lane, along with a photo of a vehicle. Not only is the vehicle shown not my bronze-coloured van, it is a blue sedan. The rego quoted on the notice is for my vehicle, so obviously someone has recorded the wrong number.
I phoned Auckland Transport on the number provided in the notice and spoke with two people. The first transferred me, after me giving her all the facts, to a another person also after providing all the facts who really did not want to know about my problem and told me I had to write in. I objected on the grounds that it was their mistake, not mine.
This person then told me I could do it online if I wish, but a phone call was not acceptable. I have now done it online but I object to having had to do this when I believed it could all have been fixed quite simply by my phone call. The answer was that it was "up to me" to write in or email if I wanted to fix the problem. I wonder how many others have had to do the work that surely is Auckland Transport's responsibility?
Brent Marshall, Whangaparaoa.
I'd rather have "Boy Walking" than a "Fearless Girl" wannabe statue. Boys cost less anyway.
Craig Forsberg, Northpark.
I can just see how some wag might feel inclined to put a skirt, cardigan, necklace and earrings on "the Boy" over the years. It might be fun.
Gillian Dance, Mt Albert.
Quit complaining about gender equality, LBGT, transformation of whatever, the need for weed and get on with life. It can be quite enjoyable without this ongoing continual need to express an opinion that, frankly, belongs to a vocal extreme liberal minority.
Avi Modlin, Orewa.
Lizzie Marvell described Mike Hosking's appalling interview of Chloe Swarbrick on cannabis reform as belittling, I would describe it as bullying.
Tony Bouchier, Kohimarama.
Watching the football Ferns dismal display at the world's showcase event, one has to come to the conclusion dismissed former coach Andreas Heraf's assessment of the Ferns' skill level was absolutely spot-on.
Frank John, New Plymouth.
Change is not always a good thing. Merging the Canvas and Weekend sections has caused a problem in our household. One person wants to spend time doing the puzzle pages, and another wants to read everything else in it.
Margaret Dyer, Taupō.
Could the proponents of free trade please explain why NZ-produced manuka honey is now priced beyond the means of the majority of us?
B Watkin, Devonport.
Oranga Tamariki is simply CYPS rebranded and continues to perpetuate the same over-zealous interventionist child removal tactics as practiced previously.
Anton Roest, Tairua.
Is it likely that an authority would uplift children, Māori or Pākehā, if they thought they were safe, well-loved and nurtured by the parent or parents?
Cam Calder, Devonport.
Foreign drivers have been proven to be a menace but we won't force them to take tests before setting them loose on our roads. Their money is more important than our lives.
J Wilkins, Kohimarama.
Come on Kiwirail, do the right thing by all New Zealanders and our visitors, and install barrier arms so that no more lives are shattered.
Virginia Alpe, Mt Albert.
James Cameron is probably right that we've taken our eye off the ball regarding our clean, green image. However, if we stopped selling off our land, we may have some influence left on how to look after it.
Glenn Forsyth, Taupō.
They were paid to target a woman embroiled in an alleged international pyramid scheme.