New Zealand unveils plans to legalize cannabis

New Zealand's Minister of Justice, Andrew Little, has released the cannabis legalization bill Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill. The text will be submitted to all political parties for comment before being put to a vote in November 2020. New Zealand citizens will then be asked a simple referendum question. If the vote passes, Parliament will have to pass the bill to legalize cannabis. If not, the status quo will be maintained.

The first elements of the bill

The published text outlines the initial elements of New Zealand's future cannabis regulatory framework. Some aspects will be completed later, including «the licensing conditions for cultivation, harvesting, processing and manufacturing» or «the structure and distribution of the licensed market.»

The CLCB vote would make cannabis legal, with restrictions on its cultivation, retail sale, purchase and consumption :

• Minimum age for buying and using cannabis set at 20
• Purchase would be limited to 14 grams per day, as would possession in a public space.
• All advertising of cannabis products would be banned
• Retailers would be required to communicate a «harm minimization message».»
• Consumption in public places will be prohibited and its use will be limited to private residences and premises authorized for this purpose.
• Sale limited to authorized physical stores. No delivery or postage.
• A government licensing system should be set up for the cultivation and distribution stages.
• Self-cultivation authorized up to 2 plants per person and 4 plants per household
• Home extraction (rosin or wax) will be prohibited

Andrew Little also unveiled the first stage of a public awareness campaign on cannabis. The program includes the establishment of a special team within the Ministry of Justice to ensure that information communicated around the bill is as accurate and neutral as possible, to avoid any attempt to deliberately mislead the public.

Legalization objectives

In a document published last May, the New Zealand government distinguished two broad categories of objectives for the legalization of cannabis:

Main objectives :

• Addressing the wellbeing of New Zealanders and harm reduction - the model should minimize the harms associated with cannabis, such as health-related harms, social harms and harms to young people
• Reduce overall cannabis use over time through education and addiction services - with a particular focus on reducing cannabis use among young people by raising the age of first use. Revenues generated by cannabis regulation should contribute to relevant health-related measures

Secondary objectives:

• Reducing the influence of gangs and the illegal cannabis trade
• Gradually reduce the prison population and the number of New Zealanders (especially Maoris) whose future opportunities are negatively affected by accusations of cannabis use.
• Ensuring product safety and controlling THC levels through legislation and regulation
• Respect the rule of law - the model should respect the New Zealand constitution. It should also minimize opportunities for the illicit market, and be clear and easy to follow.
• Adapted and feasible for New Zealand - the model should recognize and reflect our cultural practices and the values of New Zealand society, so that New Zealanders can accept it.
• Financial sustainability - the model should seek to fund mechanisms that directly address cannabis-related harm, while aiming to reduce consumption over time.