We all want a happier, healthier, more equal New Zealand. For the Drug Foundation, that means treating cannabis use as a health and social issue.
The referendum on legalising cannabis was held at the General Election on Saturday 17 October. The final result was 50.7% against to 48.4% in favour of the proposed bill.
The Government’s draft Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill sought to minimise the social and health harms of New Zealand's most widely used illicit drug. The Bill has a special focus on protecting young New Zealanders.
The Drug Foundation supported a ‘Yes’ vote - find out why here.
Why we're saying yes
Free up Police to focus on serious crime
Nearly half of all adult New Zealanders have tried cannabis. It’s clear our current law doesn’t stop people using it.
That makes our law a waste of valuable Police resources. Legalisation will free up Police to focus on serious crime.
Put some controls around cannabis
Right now, people who use cannabis get it from the black market, outside of any government control.
Legalisation is not about creating a new cannabis market – it’s about putting controls around the existing one, from seed to sale.
Taxes into health and education programmes
We will all benefit from as much as $490M in new taxes from legalising and controlling cannabis.
The government has promised to put this money into health and education programmes that will benefit all New Zealanders.
Improve access to patients
Cannabis can be an effective medicine for some serious conditions.
Patients should be able to access the medicine that works for them without fear of prosecution. Legal cannabis would mean easier, cheaper access for patients to a wider range of products.
What you need to know
All products labelled; potency limited
Cannabis products will be sold in plain, child-proof packaging with health warnings on every packet.
Police can focus on serious crime
Prohibition is a waste of valuable Police resources. Free up time for them to focus on keeping communities safe.
Better outcomes for Māori
Legalising cannabis will mean improvements in health, justice and economic development for Māori.
Taxes go to health and education
Hundreds of millions of new tax dollars will be put towards health and education programmes to benefit all New Zealanders.
No cannabis in public spaces
Cannabis will be sold from specialist stores only. Use will be restricted to private homes and licensed premises.
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19 November 2020
Cannabis referendum result: what does it mean, and what’s next?
As the dust settles from the cannabis referendum, policy and Advocacy Manager Kali Mercier offers her thoughts on a path forward.
06 November 2020
Margin narrows on referendum result: A clear mandate for change
The Drug Foundation accepts that the Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill is now unlikely to be put forward to Parliament in its current f...
03 November 2020
One way or another, we’ve got to fix our broken drug law
Even if reform is not in the form of the Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill, New Zealanders have shown they want change.
01 September 2020
Science Advisor lays down facts on referendum
A new report from the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor makes key findings supporting the Drug Foundation’s view that legalisation is t...
