NZ Election 2020: Cannabis legalisation opponents say proposed limit could make addictions worse

NewsHub 29 September 2020
Family First Comment: “We try to help people not develop cannabis addiction, so giving them access to much more than they could hope to use in a day does nothing to help people with problem behaviour,” – SayNopeToDope’s Aaron Ironside.

Opponents to cannabis legalisation say the amount people could buy each day would make those with heavy addictions worse.

The Bill that has been put forward is a guide for how legalisation might work and suggests a daily purchase limit of 14 grams dried cannabis or the equivalent of that.

Aaron Ironside, who leads the Say Nope to Dope campaign, said that limit would make it easy for heavy users to keep up their habit.

“We try to help people not develop cannabis addiction, so giving them access to much more than they could hope to use in a day does nothing to help people with problem behaviour,” Ironside said.

The drug is far more restricted in Uruguay than it would be if legalised here, or compared to other countries with legalised recreational cannabis use.

But does that mean Uruguay is preventing heavy cannabis use that Ironside is concerned about? No.

“I think that’s the whole point of why we oppose this Bill,” Ironside said.

“It is the pretence of control, and ultimately trying to control it through these artificial mechanisms does nothing to actually help people with problematic behaviour.

“The answer is in strengthening our health and education approach. That doesn’t require you to set up a cannabis shop.”

They say 14 grams would usually last between two to four weeks, while some less regular users could take six months to get through that much.

Ironside compared the purchase of 14 grams of cannabis to being able to buy three bottles of vodka in one day.
READ MORE: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/09/nz-election-2020-cannabis-legalisation-opponents-say-proposed-limit-could-make-addictions-worse.html