Referendum on cannabis

OPINION: If the recent reports in the media are correct, New Zealand may have a referendum on legalising cannabis for personal use by 2020.

Such a move would be consistent with recent polls suggesting that many Kiwis desire change in this area, with 65 per cent of those questioned believing possession of cannabis for personal use should be legalised (28 per cent) or decriminalised (37 per cent).

Such a move would also be consistent with the New Zealand tradition that direct democracy is better than delegated democracy. Earlier generations of Kiwis knew this and were much better at determining, via referendums, issues such as how alcohol should be regulated, dealing with questions from total prohibition through to the closing time of pubs.

In the case of currently illegal drugs, the need for citizens to address this issue directly is necessary because the evidence shows that, despite attempts at prohibition that began in the early parts of the 20th century, in the 21st century the demand for illegal drugs is increasing at the same time as their supply is expanding, their price is static or falling, their diversity widening, their potency growing and the harm they cause is not being reduced.