Canna-bus tour to smoke out candidates' views on pot

The Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party (ALCP) is taking their new “Cannabus” on a tour of Northland to campaign in the Te Tai Tokerau by-election.

ALCP candidate Maki Herbert will meet with locals across the electorate and speak to them about the importance of cannabis reform.

The Cannabus will be in Dargaville on June 18, in Kaikohe on June 19 and Kawakawa June 20.

“The NZ Law Commission and the Global Commission on Drugs have both recently recommended relaxing cannabis laws,” she said.

“Maori are four times more likely to be arrested for cannabis than pakeha.”

“The cannabis laws criminalise Maori and undermine tino rangatiratanga.”

Ms Herbert is calling on all other candidates in the by-election to state their position on cannabis and to indicate whether they think drug prohibition is working.

Cannabis prohibition costs the taxpayer half a billion per year and has failed to prevent or reduce drug use.

ALCP came second behind Tariana Turia in the last Maori by-election.

“The Maori Party leader gave her assurances that she supported cannabis law reform, but subsequently voted against the medical marijuana bill,” Ms Herbert said.

“We want assurances that te tai Tokerau candidates are actually against this unjust law,” she said.