Act courts votes of dope smokers

By BERNARD ORSMAN

Act, the party that stands for zero tolerance on crime, is seeking the votes of cannabis smokers.

Under the headline Freedom is Choice, Act has taken an advertisement in the pro-cannabis magazine Norml News saying the present cannabis laws restrict personal freedoms and are not working.

It goes on to say that Act is committed to meaningful debate and a workable solution to the cannabis issue.

The advertisement is contained in an election issue of Norml News, of which 50,000 free copies go into circulation on Thursday through alternative networks such as cafes, bong shops and hydroponic suppliers.

It was authorised and paid for by Act party manager Graham Watson, who was appointed last November to rekindle Act's liberal vision.

He is a former president of the Auckland University branch of Norml.

In the Norml News editorial, Norml Auckland co-ordinator Mike Harding said the pro-cannabis lobby was recommending to the country's 400,000 cannabis smokers that they give their party vote to the Greens.

"However, for those of you that couldn't possibly vote for the Green Party, Act are currently teetering on the brink," he said.

Act justice spokesman Stephen Franks yesterday said there was nothing contradictory about Act's policy of zero tolerance towards policing minor infringements and campaigning for the votes of cannabis smokers.

Anyone caught smoking cannabis under the present law should be prosecuted, he said.

But Act upheld the freedom of adults to do as they wanted without harming others, and it was open-minded on decriminalising cannabis. The matter was a conscience vote for Act MPs.

In an interview in Norml News, Mr Franks said his party treated the matter of cannabis law reform seriously and had no ideological interest in maintaining prohibition.

The interview referred to a discussion paper on cannabis law reform Mr Franks released in June 2000.

The paper said that before MPs debated the issue an independent report should look at a range of potential consequences, including the effects on children, the effects in the workplace and driving under the influence, and the cost to taxpayers of increased drug abuse.

The paper made no mention of considering the link between cannabis use and crime.

Mr Franks said the Government had raised the possibility of liberalising the cannabis laws to look fashionable.

Divided MPs inquiring into legalising cannabis failed to deliver a report before the election was called last month.

Health select committee chairwoman Judy Keall, who is quitting politics at this election, was unsure about the future of the inquiry into the legal status of cannabis and how best to minimise its use and associated harm.

Mr Harding last month said MPs opposed to liberalising cannabis laws had tried to "bury the subject" and he promised to resurrect it as an election issue.

As well as recommending to cannabis smokers how to use their party vote, Norml News has picked some electorate candidates for attention. In Auckland Central "of course we recommend Nandor (Tanczos), but party vote only".

The editorial says a vote for the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party, which is standing candidates in six electorates, is a wasted vote.

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