New Zealanders will get to have their say on recreational cannabis in next year's general election.
Photo / File
New Zealanders will get to have their say on recreational cannabis in next year's general election.
Photo / File
Next year's recreational cannabis referendum will ask voters if they are in favour of the Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill, which a draft for came out this week.
Abe Leach speaks to local MPs and people on the streets of Whanganui about which way the vote may go.
Labour'sTe Tai Hauāuru MP Adrian Rurawhe said he didn't have a preference on a recreational cannabis market at this stage but was pleased with what he's seen so far.
"Overall I'm happy with where most of that has landed, especially in terms of age restrictions, so it will be highly regulated," he said.
"I'm probably more in the decriminalisation rather than the legalisation area, however I'm going to respect the views and outcome of the referendum.
It prohibits the consumption of cannabis in public spaces, and limits use to private homes and licensed premises.
Individuals will be allowed to carry up to 14 grams of dried cannabis in a public space. The weight also applies to the amount of cannabis an individual is allowed to purchase in a day.
Cannabis would be limited to being sold in licensed premises, meaning no online or remote sales.
Rurawhe expects some people would be waiting to see more information before making a decision.
"[The restrictions] are not set in concrete yet and it is open for people to let the government know their thoughts on this issue, and bring compelling arguments about what should be changed from what we're looking at.
"Once the proposed legislation is finalised we can probably have a firmer decision around how people are going to vote in the referendum.
"I strongly support the idea of having, and my understanding is this what's going to happen, education and information about what this proposed legislation will do.
"I think it's incredibly important people understand what they're voting for or against."
National's Rangitīkei MP Ian McKelvie said he was disappointed a clearer set of rules weren't provided in the announcement.
"For people to make a rational decision on the basis of the piece of legislation doesn't really give them a clear answers, there's too many unanswered questions, I think," he said.
"While the legislation outlines some parameters there's no guidelines around how they're going to be administered, managed, interpreted and how they're going to be put in place, because some will come in the form of regulation and there's not even guidelines around how that's going to happen."
Ian McKelvie wants to see more information about how the rules would be administered and managed.
Photo / Bevan Conley
McKelvie said it's a difficult issue that he would usually have a definitive stance on.
"I'm opposed to it because I think we've got enough things that addle our brains without enabling some more but, having said that, if there strong parameters put in place and strong rules around how it might work then I might have a different view of it.
"When you get to sort of 60 and over, a lot of them are going to have a very different view of this than the younger people do because we've been brought up in different circumstances."
National's Whanganui MP Harete Hipango said she supports decimalisation but is yet to be convinced of a plausible argument in favour of legalising recreational cannabis.
Hipango said she is concerned by the situation the market could create.
"Cannabis for recreational use, if legalised is in my view is likely to intensify the 'dealer's market', intensifying competition in the underground market both in cannabis and meth.
"Gangs will, and already are, becoming much more commercialised in nature, method and presentation."
Hipango said intensification in competition will spin-off into increased social adversity for lower socio-economic margins of society in particular.
The MP said information that the referendum is not binding has not been addressed, and said it's up to the government following next year's general election to decide whether to proceed with the Bill regardless of the referendum result.
On the street opinion on the referendum was split.
One said they would "definitely" be voting against recreational cannabis.
"I don't think it is a good idea, we're going to be in for more crime and it's going to be out of control. I think it should never, ever happen.
"Whanganui's a small town and it's bad enough as it is at the moment, so we don't need anything else like that to add on top of it."
New Zealand may have a much different culture around cannabis following next year's referendum.
Photo / Kristin Edge
But another said she would be voting yes when the referendum rolled around.
"It's integrity, people should be able to have that choice," they said.
"If people choose to use a plant for recreational use then that's their choice, personally I don't but I still don't have a problem with anyone who does."
From all those spoken to on Victoria Ave, six people said they would be voting for recreational cannabis use to be approved, five people were against and four were undecided.
A New Zealand Herald online poll shows with around 60 per cent intending to vote for personal use, around 30 per cent against, and the remaining undecided.
