Public Address | Cafe | Hard News: Just quietly, this is a big deal

Craig Young

Thu, 20 Dec 2018 18:40:32 +1300

Either abolish the Misuse of Drugs Act, or provide an evidence-based quanta that is focused on harm minimisation, risk reduction, rehabilitation or exit (if that is what users choose), with a corresponding focus on the magnitude and severity of harm. And abolish the Class C category altogether.

Worik

Thu, 20 Dec 2018 08:02:17 +1300

cynic_mode{on} therapeutic approach more beneficial
So not for cannabis, which itself is therapeutic...
no public interest in a prosecution so bust young men, they are always guilty of something so best be safe and bust scruffy brown. ones who are just disturbing.
cynic_mode{off}

Geoff Lealand

Wed, 19 Dec 2018 13:19:28 +1300

Praise for Russell’s advocacy from another media source. https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2018/12/18/367890/media-person-of-the-year-1

Jacob

Tue, 18 Dec 2018 15:30:47 +1300

While I understand what you mean when you say they shouldn't be titled synthetic cannabinoids especially since a lot of people are uneducated about cannabis (which has phytocannabinoids with a relatively good safety profile) but if they are called synthetic drugs then the public could relate them to the medication…

Katita

Sun, 16 Dec 2018 11:17:53 +1300

warren bryson

Fri, 14 Dec 2018 13:59:26 +1300

thank you Russell for your skills and efforts to educate about drugs -You are making a great help to reduce drug and drug-law related harms. However..... i know its probably an error, but please, please, please refer to synthetics drugs as just that. Writing synthetic cannabinoids gives the impression these…

Sacha

Fri, 14 Dec 2018 13:35:25 +1300

Please don't tell us you've been txting him. :)

Russell Brown

Fri, 14 Dec 2018 08:06:53 +1300

The Science Media Centre has expert reactions from Dr Paul Quigley, Dr Fiona Hutton and Professor Doug Sellman.

They are extremely positive reactions.

Russell Brown

Fri, 14 Dec 2018 08:04:59 +1300

Yes I know it’s still technically illegal…. but the change is clear and faster than I thought it could be.

Hmmm, steady on there. Cultivation isn't part of this, and even as they've sharply reduced the number of possession prosecutions in the past 10 years, the police have continued to…

Kazam

Fri, 14 Dec 2018 04:07:33 +1300

This is a big thing indeed...I can't sleep I am so excited. Waited over 40 years for the day when I can grow a couple of plants for my own very modest use without fear of police prosecution or public condemnation. I don't know about anyone else but I will…

BenWilson

Thu, 13 Dec 2018 15:27:31 +1300

this should be seen only as a stopgap measure.

It sounds like that's how the Govt does see it. It's also like trainer policy – if society doesn't collapse as a result of this, then formalizing it properly later on is way easier. It also makes a lot of sense…

Russell Brown

Thu, 13 Dec 2018 13:55:35 +1300

OTOH, “police discretion” tends to be unevenly applied in practice, so this should be seen only as a stopgap measure.

Yes. But it's a pretty big step.

simon g

Thu, 13 Dec 2018 13:50:55 +1300

National's response: "“This is mickey-mouse policy made on the hoof."

If they can't find good policies, could they at least find a good dictionary? Next they will be telling us there's an elephant in the room, a dog's breakfast with the cat among the pigeons.

linger

Thu, 13 Dec 2018 13:43:33 +1300

OTOH, "police discretion" tends to be unevenly applied in practice, so this should be seen only as a stopgap measure.

BenWilson

Thu, 13 Dec 2018 13:35:13 +1300

This is now my favorite NZ government ever. I mean the whole government too, the Greens and NZF get a lot of credit.

Russell Brown

Thu, 13 Dec 2018 13:08:55 +1300

This is fantastic news. If you had told me 2 days ago it was coming I would not have believed it.

I was fairly gobsmacked when the Minister of Health called this morning to give me a heads-up.

BenWilson

Thu, 13 Dec 2018 12:40:31 +1300

This is fantastic news. If you had told me 2 days ago it was coming I would not have believed it.

Russell Brown

Thu, 13 Dec 2018 12:10:24 +1300

Reclassification to Class A makes a lot of sense. Ideally some drugs that are currently Class A could be reclassified so that Class A is just for those drugs that are inherently very dangerous.

That would be an excellent step.

As part of the treatment side of things the government…

Neil

Thu, 13 Dec 2018 11:25:06 +1300

Reclassification to Class A makes a lot of sense. Ideally some drugs that are currently Class A could be reclassified so that Class A is just for those drugs that are inherently very dangerous.

As part of the treatment side of things the government should look at setting up secure…

SamC

Thu, 13 Dec 2018 11:00:58 +1300

It will be very interesting to see how the debate (in parliament and in the public) goes. It seems like any attempt at sensible drug reform in this country leads to mass hysteria.

Russell Brown

Thu, 13 Dec 2018 10:55:50 +1300

And more:

"This will be huge for Māori," says Selah Hart, Chief Operations Manager of Hāpai Te Hauora. "Our people have suffered disproportionately under an antiquated approach to drug use in Aotearoa which has seen people who use drugs treated as criminals and not as people who have a right…

Russell Brown

Thu, 13 Dec 2018 10:50:54 +1300

New Zealand First's response:

New Zealand First welcomes the announcement that two synthetic drug strains linked to recent deaths will be classified as Class A under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, with additional funding support for community addiction services.

“New Zealand First has always taken a firm, common sense…

Russell Brown

Thu, 13 Dec 2018 10:46:33 +1300

The Drug Foundation's response: good start, but we really need to replace the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Public Address

Thu, 13 Dec 2018 10:46:32 +1300

Discussion from blog post.