Greens will push for cannabis decriminalisation

Stuff reports:

The Green Party wants to see cannabis decriminalised, saying it will push for the law change in any post-election discussions but that it is not a bottom line.

Speaking after her State of the Nation speech at Waitangi Park in Wellington, co-leader Metiria Turei said they wanted to see the law changed.

“I would like to progress a vast amount of our policy, actually and that would be one that would be very interesting,” she said.

Turei said they believed a drug-free lifestyle was the healthiest, but did not believe adults should be convicted of a crime if they smoked cannabis.

I agree. There may be other ways to move from the status quo, such as the Law Commission’s recommended mandatory diversion scheme if people undertake drug counselling and treatment.