Marijuana, weed, cannabis, grass. It goes by many names and whether or not to legalise has attracted many views. In Tauranga, there are people on both sides of the fence. As details of the Government's proposed 2020 cannabis referendum come to light, Zoe Hunter finds out how people might vote
Legalise cannabis? No way, says Tauranga mayor Greg Brownless
Tauranga Mayor Greg Brownless said he would vote against the referendum to legalise cannabis. Photo / File
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The minimum purchase age would be 20 and using cannabis publicly would be banned.
Tauranga Mayor Greg Brownless said he would vote against the referendum.
"I am opposed to drugs full stop. I do not think it should be sold. I don't want to encourage drug use."
Brownless said he had witnessed enough people under the influence of drugs wandering the city centre.
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"My big worry is younger people getting into it. It is my gut feeling it gets worst."
Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller said cannabis impacted people's lives.
"As a local MP I met so many families that have been impacted by drugs, and cannabis is always there lurking, trying to cloak itself as 'not as bad'. It is nonsense," he said.
National Party leader and Tauranga MP Simon Bridges said that as a former Crown prosecutor he had seen the harm that drugs caused.
"I don't want my children having the message that smoking marijuana is okay when the evidence shows how badly it affects the development of a young person's brain."
Bay of Plenty Labour list MP Angie Warren-Clark was for the referendum as long as draft legislation supported a health approach.
She said she would like to see the opportunity for cannabis users to access and seek rehabilitation without the fear of prosecution.
Tauranga Labour list MP Jan Tinetti said the issue had been debated globally for a long time and it was time to ask New Zealanders their thoughts.
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Otumoetai College principal Russell Gordon said cannabis led to mental health issues and he could see no good coming from making cannabis freely available to young people.
Stuart Caldwell, manager of free Tauranga drug and alcohol counselling service Get Smart, said many young people addicted to cannabis had not realised their relationships and social issues were related to their drug use.
"In our view, legalising cannabis will just serve to turbocharge these issues by removing whatever barriers currently exist to accessing this drug," he said.
Western Bay of Plenty Mayor Garry Webber said the issue was nationwide and should be handled by central government.
However, an employee of a Tauranga vape store said cannabis should be made available to anyone of age with a limit put on how much could be bought at one time.
"Just like there is an alcohol limit, there could be research done to find out what's safe, what's not safe and not just hearsay based on the 'devil's lettuce'," Kameron Kafai, who works at The Cloud House on Cameron Rd, said.
The 34-year-old said cannabis should be sold at licensed premises, but there needed to be more education around using the drug.
"In regards to it being legal or not, people are still using it," he said.
"I feel it is safe ... I would sooner give my child of that age a joint or an edible rather than a bottle of booze," he said.
Have you used cannabis?
Tauranga Mayor Greg Brownless
Vote: Against
"I have never smoked any form of cigarette. I have never drunk beer. But I do have my weaknesses, chocolate and icecream."
Bay of Plenty MP Todd Muller
"Yes I tried it when I was at varsity, but since I don't smoke, I just coughed and spluttered and went back to my beer."
Tauranga Labour list MP Jan Tinetti
"I have never smoked cannabis nor tried it in any other forms."
Tauranga MP and National Party leader Simon Bridges
"I have never smoked marijuana and I will personally be voting against legalising it."
Bay of Plenty Labour list MP Angie Warren-Clark
"I have smoked cannabis as a teen as a small act of rebellion, and on very few occasions at university. These days I prefer a decent gin and tonic."
