Drug Foundation on responsible regulation for cannabis

The Drug Foundation has proposed a model to take back control of cannabis from organised crime. The key points are:

• Young people under the age of 20 would not be able to enter cannabis retail stores or buy products.
• Prohibit advertising and the development of products that might appeal more to younger people, such as confectionery.
• Set maximum potency levels for products and steer people towards less harmful ways to consume than smoking.
• Set portion sizes so that young people who do use despite the law know how much is too much.
• Require child-proof packaging and put health warnings on packets.

Ross Bell says in the introduction:

If you’re like me, you’d prefer that your kids never use cannabis. But you’ll also be aware there is a good chance they will at some point. Despite it being illegal – and perhaps partly because of it – around half of all New Zealanders do.
I want the best for my kids as they get older and the same for all young New Zealanders. If they do decide to use cannabis when they are older, I would much rather they didn’t buy it from organised crime, who might also sell them synnies or meth. I’d rather they bought from government-regulated stores where products are packaged in single-serve portions with maximum potency levels and health warnings on every packet. I want them to have their ID checked at the door and be turned away if they are under 20.
I want a world in which cannabis looks as boring as possible and where the proceeds from taxes go straight back into healthcare and treatment rather than funding the lifestyles of organised crime.

This is why it makes sense to vote to change the status quo.