Drug Foundation - Cannabis

Let's talk about pot

Ross — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +1300

Bud, chronic, dak, dope, ganja, grass, maryjane, reefer and skunk. We all know the slang terms for cannabis. Half of us have tried it, and one-in-eight uses it regularly.

But is cannabis a glorified gateway to harder drugs and suicide, or some sort of herbal cure-all, benignly bestowed by Mother Nature? Should we be selling it from Courtenay Place cafes, or cracking down harder on cannabis smokers and growers?

National drug policy

Catherine — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 10:47:16 +1300

The National Drug Policy (NDP) aims to improve the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders by encouraging the development of strategies and programmes which prevent and reduce drug-related harm.

The NDP is in line with World Health Organization and United Nations recommendations of a balanced approach to drug policy.

Progress under the NDP is reviewed twice yearly by the Ministerial Committee on Drug Policy (MCDP). Initiatives are progressed and monitored by a group of Government agencies that make up the Inter-Agency Committee on Drugs (IACD).

New Zealand Customs Service Annual Report 2005/06

Catherine — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 10:31:37 +1300

The Customs 2005/2006 annual report, released on October 16, the report highlights remarkable achievements notably Customs New Zealand made the largest drug seizure in New Zealand's history and the signing of a Declaration of Principles with the United States are among key achievements made by the New Zealand Customs Service over the past year.

Health Select Committee report on cannabis use August 2003

Catherine — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 09:37:10 +1300

Inquiry into the public health strategies relating to cannabis use and the most appropriate legal status and five related petitions (1999/37, 1999/114, 1999/122, 1999/157, and 1999/173) (I.6C) (8 August 2003)

Inter-Agency Committee on Drugs (IACD)

Catherine — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 09:01:05 +1300

A monitoring group of officials, the IACD ensures that policies and programmes developed by government agencies are consistent and mutually supportive. The IACD also makes recommendations to the MCDP on new policy initiatives.

Ministerial Committee on Drug Policy (MCDP)

Catherine — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 08:58:33 +1300

Meeting at least twice a year, the MCDP is charged with reviewing progress in implementing the National Drug Policy, and deciding which new policy initiatives should be implemented.

The National Drug Policy states that the MCDP is chaired by the Minister of Health and includes the Ministers of Corrections, Customs, Justice, Police, Maori Affairs, Youth Affairs, Transport and Education.

Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs (EACD)

Catherine — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 17:06:50 +1300

The Misuse of Drugs Amendment Act 2000 (the Act) established the Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs (EACD) to provide expert advice to the Minister of Health regarding drug classification issues.

Medicinal cannabis (Evidence review)

Catherine — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 00:00:00 +1300

This review provides background evidence for the New Zealand Drug Foundation’s policy on the use of medicinal cannabis. It sets out:

How the material was gathered and reviewed
Background to the medicinal use of cannabis, and context of the present debate
Current evidence on existing/potential therapeutic uses and forms, and the relative
benefits and risks of medicinal cannabis
Legislation, policy and practice in selected countries
New Zealand’s current legislation and policy as it may impact on medicinal cannabis.
Literature reviewed and review methods used

This review aimed to:

Medicinal Cannabis (Policy paper)

Catherine — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 00:00:00 +1300

This paper presents the New Zealand Drug Foundation’s policy position. It outlines the current state of evidence, and analyses policy options. A more detailed review of current scientific evidence and of legislation, policy and practice in some relevant jurisdictions supports this paper.

Cannabis harm reduction and legal status (Submission)

Catherine — Sun, 01 Apr 2001 00:00:00 +1200

The New Zealand Drug Foundation believes that the status quo in terms of cannabis harm reduction policy in New Zealand is unacceptable. The Foundation has considered the health and well being of the whole population as well as vulnerable groups in relation to cannabis usage.