New Zealand to vote to legalize cannabis next September

New Zealand has announced the date of its next general election, which will coincide with the referendum on the legalization of the Cannabis. So on September 19, New Zealanders will be asked to answer a simple question: «Do you support the Cannabis Legalization and Control Bill?»

Two options will appear on the ballot:

• Yes, I support the bill on the legalization and control of cannabis
• No, I do not support the bill on the legalization and control of cannabis.

In December, the first elements of the bill had been unveiled These include a minimum age of 20, a possession limit of 14g, a ban on public consumption, self-cultivation authorized up to a limit of 2 plants, and government-issued commercial licenses for cultivation or distribution...

The final draft bill is due to be published «early 2020», and will contain more details while taking into account initial feedback from the public and industry.

The referendum is expected to be binding, but for the moment there is no indication of how the next government will implement cannabis legalization if it gathers more than 50% in favor.

When it comes to medical cannabis, New Zealand also published its regulation last December. It will take effect on April 1.

The draft bill on the legalization and control of cannabis is available here.