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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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New Zealand: Drugs Ban Aiding Dealers: Greens
Rosemarie North Waikato Times (New Zealand)
Tuesday 18 Sep 2001 The National Party and anti-cannabis groups are unwittingly helping drug dealers, a health select committee on cannabis was told in Hamilton. Waikato Green Party executive Gary Clarkson said: "Whether they realise it or not they're actually working in their interests. "Prohibition always favours an unregulated black market." If he were a dealer, Mr Clarkson said, he would want dope banned. "If anything, I suggest going harder. It's all good for business. It will ensure we've got a healthy profit for a long time," he told the committee, which sat in Hamilton last week and included Green MP Nandor Tanczos, who uses cannabis. Mr Tanczos said a disproportionate number of Maori were convicted of cannabis crimes. In 1980, 1997 European and 517 Maori people were convicted, in 2000, 1350 Europeans and 1106 Maori people were convicted. But this was not because of more Maori using dope. "I think it's obvious that's to do with the way the law is applied," Mr Tanczos said. Bay of Plenty public health officials from Toi Te Ora said personal dope use should be decriminalised, but only with better health promotion so "smokefree means smokefree". Spokesman Michael Lane said counter-culture "makes it a glamour drug for some people and some people just like to be staunch". Mental Health Collective spokesperson Sarah Porter said prohibition prevented sensible treatment. "The issue of the law means some people are living in constant fear because of the illegality of cannabis." Te Ruunanga A Iwi O Ngati Tamatera spokesman Roy Piahana opposed any relaxation on cannabis because it harmed the health of young people.
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