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New Zealand set for cannabis referendum Ben McKay News.com.au Friday 01 May 2020 New Zealand will tax cannabis based on its potency, ban products that appeal to teenagers and allow cannabis "coffee shops" to open if Kiwis vote for its legalisation in a poll later this year. Dubbed the country's "reeferendum", it will be held alongside the national election on September 19. On Friday, Justice Minister Andrew Little produced the final legalisation model for the drug, including punishments of up to four years imprisonment for selling to young people. The minimum age for purchasing and consuming the drug has been set at 20. However, young people in possession of the drug would not face criminal sanction, instead given a health-based response. Mr Little said the model was built after studying other jurisdictions to have decriminalised the drug, including Canada, Uruguay and several US States. "Cannabis is under an absolute prohibition and has been for 50 years but the reality is it is used a reasonable degree by a chunk of the population," he told AAP. "This is about saying 'if people can use it safely, what does that look like?' It's about getting the balance right and the controls right. "And to not repeat the mistakes that we've had historically with the likes of alcohol. That's another substance that can cause harm but is socially accepted, even though the harm it causes is reasonably widespread." The model bans public consumption of cannabis, or at venues that sell alcohol. Online sales are banned, with a maximum purchase limit set at 14 grams per day. Individuals will be able to grow two plants at home, with households limited to four plants. A new regulator will be handed the role of licensing commercial growers and sellers, with measures to stop monopolies. Packaging would feature similar warnings to tobacco packaging, while marketing or advertising of cannabis would be outlawed. National deputy leader Paula Bennett, the opposition representative on a cross-party working group, told AAP she would vote against the measure at the referendum and didn't want to see it become law. "There are too many red lines. I certainly won't be supporting the legalisation," she said. "They talk a lot about wanting to reduce harm but I don't think legalisation would do that. "We've got concerns around drug driving ... and the normalisation that legalisation with bring." Ms Ardern hasn't revealed her position though her mentor and former Prime Minister Helen Clark is a prominent supporter. On Friday, Finance Minister Grant Robertson added his name to the list of yes voters. Deputy Labour leader Kelvin Davis is another in support, saying he was "sick and tired of seeing friends and family criminalised for it" https://www.news.com.au/world/breaking-news/new-zealand-set-for-cannabis-referendum/news-story/0aab0b37b098ecf7b91ba6502161c591
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