New Zealand cannabis referendum

The New Zealand cannabis referendum will be held sometime during the term of the 52nd New Zealand Parliament on the question of whether to legalise recreational cannabis use.

In December 2016, the Green Party said that if it formed a government in the 2017 election it would legalise cannabis. "Under its proposal, people would be able to legally grow and possess marijuana for personal use". The party would also "urgently amend the law so sick people using medicinal marijuana were not penalised".

Cannabis use is currently controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975. Possession of any amount of cannabis is currently illegal in New Zealand. The maximum sentence for possession of cannabis is imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months or a $500 fine. Cultivation of cannabis carries a maximum penalty of 7 years imprisonment. The only exception to these laws is the prescription of medicinal cannabis. Approved cannabis-based pharmaceuticals can be prescribed by a specialist doctor, but requires patients to meet strict criteria. As of April 2016, only Sativex is approved for use in New Zealand; it is not subsidised, so patients must pay the full retail cost.

Many polling organisations ask New Zealanders questions related to cannabis legislation. Support for law reform around cannabis has been increasing in New Zealand in recent years. These numbers tend to trend higher around support for medicinal use. When voting age New Zealanders were asked in July 2017 if they supported "Growing and/or using cannabis for medical reasons if you have a terminal illness", 59% responded that it should be legal, 22% supported decriminalisation, while only 15% responded it should be illegal. However when they were asked their thoughts on "Possessing a small amount of cannabis for personal use", 37% responded that it should be decriminalised, 31% responded that it should be illegal, and only 28% responded that it should be fully legal.

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Wikipedia