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New Zealand: Cannabis referendum: Election debate sees leaders, minister confess to smoking weed

Katarina Williams

Stuff.co.nz

Tuesday 08 Sep 2020

The practice may not be legal, but that hasn't stopped seven Wellington electoral candidates, including a minister, a deputy and a co-leader, admitting to smoking weed - just a month out from the nationwide cannabis 'reeferendum'.

As part of a Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association Wellington Central candidate debate on Tuesday afternoon, seven standing candidates participated in a game of ‘Never Have I Ever’.

Justice and Courts Minister Andrew Little – standing in for incumbent Labour's Grant Robertson – Green Party co-leader James Shaw, National MP Nicola Willis, Act deputy leader Brooke van Velden, independent candidate Jesse Richardson, TOP's Abe Gray and M?ori Party candidate for Te Tai Tonga T?kuta Ferris were asked whether they had smoked cannabis.

Their collective admissions come 38 days before the country will be asked to vote on whether to support the proposed Cannabis Legislation and Control Bill.

Essentially, if New Zealanders vote in favour of the bill, cannabis consumption, sale and purchase for recreational use would be made legal for those 20 years old and above, allowing them to buy up to 14 grams of dried cannabis (or its equivalent) each day for licensed outlets.

People will also be able to grow up to two plants, with a maximum of four plants per household.

Willis’ cannabis-smoking admission has come despite National leader Judith Collins claiming her party’s entire caucus will be voting no in the referendum.

Labour, the Greens and New Zealand First have all pledged to abide by the result of the referendum, however National has given no such commitment.

Little told Stuff last month that he was offered cannabis by a man “toking up large” on the street earlier this year, but he declined to partake in the “electric puha”, telling the man he was breaking the law.

During the rest of the Never Have I Ever game on Tuesday, all candidates also responded ‘yes’ to working in a minimum-wage jobs, however the third question of the game drew a mixed response.

They were asked, “Never have I ever listened to WAP”.

Shaw, Little and Ferris said they hadn’t listened to the controversial record by US rappers Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, while Gray gave ‘no answer’.

The remaining candidates all admitted to listening to the song which features vivid sexual metaphors and has spurred a popular dance challenge on social media platform TikTok.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/cannabis-referendum/122703050/cannabis-referendum-election-debate-sees-leaders-minister-confess-to-smoking-weed

 

 

 

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