Letters to the editor: Election referenda, end of life choice and cannabis testing

The End of Life Choice referendum will be included in this year's General Election. Photo / File

I wish to correct what, in my opinion, is some misinformation given in the column by Rob Rattenbury (Opinion, August 24).

While he is correct about the long-term impact of the referendum, I wish to point out the following:

Medicinal cannabis is currently legal, though perhaps not for all who wish to take it. We know that, like alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, cannabis is harmful. Legalising cannabis will allow drug pushers or unthinking guardians to access children as young as 5, and increase mental problems.

Humans differ from animals in as much as we have been given a choice. Just as there has been a morning-after pill for abortion since the 1960s, there are ways for those who want to end their own life.

We put those who murder others in jail. Why should doctors or other medical staff be asked to take another person's life? There is pain relief and palliative care available now.

To imagine that safeguards put around the bills will protect society is naive. Take a look at how the abortion bill or marriage bill has changed since first introduced, and how freedom of conscience and speech has been eroded.

D Mcpherson
Rotorua

We need sharp people with sharp brains

How can our government even suggest decriminalising a drug well known for causing so much misery?

Violence, breakdown of family relationships, whole futures of children and young adults destroyed. Many now live a life of crime. I remember our politicians taking an oath to represent their constituents, and protect them to the best of their ability (broadly speaking).

Could they stand by that oath today?

Right now we have a serious pandemic. Most of us have learned the new rules of living safely together.

If Covid-19 reappears often, how could we win if any of our essential workers take up the offer of freely available cannabis? We need to make sure our sharp young people survive this virus.

Sharp people with sharp brains for every field, including mental health work, medical research and equipment, research labs for testing vaccines, heavy industry safety, finance and sustainable businesses.

We don't need our New Zealand dumbed-down by cannabis. So, do the right thing, use that sharp mind to say "no" to recreational cannabis. Please do it for your country.

Russell McKenzie
Tauranga

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