
We need to talk about drugs
How should ActionStation campaign on drug law reform?
I recommend only reading on if you’re in the right mental state to do so. I will be discussing sexual violence.
Earlier this week, I was at a hui (meeting) that brought together 100 people interested in transforming our justice system from a kaupapa Māori (Māori principles and ideas) perspective. I met people who used to be in prison, police officers, counsellors, Corrections staff, lawyers and activists.

I met a solo Dad whose name I have changed to John for this email. John is a Mental Health and Addiction Counsellor and Teacher.
A few years ago John was put in prison for three years for possession and supply of cannabis. At the time, he lived in a poor, rural part of the country where job opportunities were scarce. He turned to growing cannabis to make money to feed his daughter. He got caught.
In prison he had to do mandatory group therapy. He would sit with people who had committed rapes and murders as they told their stories. He said it was traumatising. He told us the story of seeing a man being raped while being held down by two other men in a cell.
In my view, John should never have been in prison. I think cannabis should be legalised and regulated, or at the very least decriminalised.
I acknowledge there are health concerns with cannabis, but there are also health concerns with tobacco and alcohol and we sell both of those in every supermarket in the country. We ask the alcohol companies to sponsor our sports teams and community events. We celebrate politicians that look cool to have a beer with. This feels like hypocrisy.
It doesn’t have to be this way. We could have a justice system based on rehabilitation instead of revenge. We could invest in our people earlier by treating drug addiction as a medical issue instead of a criminal one. We could ensure that men like John have access to a more generous welfare system, or secure work so that he doesn’t need to turn to selling recreational cannabis.
We could follow the example set forth by Portugal — where drug-abuse has been halved since they decriminalised all drugs. We could decriminalise (or legalise) cannabis so that it’s regulated, safe for human health and taxed (generating more jobs and revenue for our country). We could do things right.
You’ve heard my view. Now we want to hear from you.
They say justice is served when those unaffected are as outraged as those who are. I think it’s time to get outraged.
Further reading:
- Whakawātea te Huarahi A model drug law to 2020 and beyond, New Zealand Drug Foundation
- Ten Years After Decriminalization, Drug Abuse Down by Half in Portugal, Forbes Magazine, July 5 2011