Clearly there's more to the former National Party leader than I thought.
Under this veneer is a man wanting drug reform.
He believes police time and resources can be better deployed "in actually keeping us safe from real criminals intent on harming us".
About 400,000 New Zealanders use cannabis and this is their prerogative, he says.
Mr Clarkson, a Tauranga Act Party member and former National MP, says the issue of legalising cannabis needs robust debate.
"When you have a law that a big percentage of the population breaks, there is something wrong with the law," he says. He also refers to the number of people who travel on open roads at 110km/h as an example of a law not working.
"Let's be fair, if the thing was legalised - and I will offend some people but the facts are the facts - first of all we will get income and it will stop a lot of crooks. Crooks rob people to buy drugs."
The last time I editorialised against cannabis reform there were plenty of harshly worded emails sent to me from people violently disagreeing.
But I still stand by my views. I simply cannot agree with the arguments put forward by the Act men.
Just because 10 per cent of the population breaks the law does not mean the law should be changed. If we applied this argument to all laws we'd end up with a lawless society.
And where do we stop? If 10 per cent of the population gets hooked on methamphetamine are we going to make that legal too? What about assault? Theft?
We have enough legal drugs causing harm in our society, namely alcohol and cigarettes.
Legalising cannabis would encourage some people who don't use it to start - ultimately adding more to our country's social and spiralling health costs.
And what is Bob Clarkson advocating - a legal industry that grows, harvests and sells cannabis in shops where people can roll up and buy a joint like they would a packet of cigarettes? Or reform where people can smoke it but its ultimate source is still part of the criminal underworld?
As for the criminal aspect, cannabis will always be a part of the criminal fraternity, legal or not. Legalisation will not stop them robbing people for drugs.
Decriminalisation also sends a terrible message to young people and will only further open the gates for harder drugs, and cause even more drug misery in this country.
National, thankfully, will not be changing the law.
People who want to smoke cannabis still can - they just need to be careful and not get caught.
As for Dr Brash, he has done himself no favours with normal, right-thinking people.
