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Auckland, New Zealand deputy mayor urges cannabis decriminalization

By William Breathes on May 15, 2014 Global, News

Penny Hulse isn’t a fan of marijuana, and she was never a fan of marijuana decriminalization or legalization in New Zealand. Until now, that is.
New Zealand outlawed synthetic smokable drugs commonly mislabeled as “synthetic cannabis” last week mostly out of a growing public health concern for the often-untested chemicals that have left people sick and hospitalized. People often turn to these drugs because they can’t be detected on drug tests, unlike marijuana. The ban was pushed by a coalition of mayors from the southern part of the country.

New Zealand cannabis activist running for mayor on pro-pot platform

By William Breathes on August 22, 2013 Culture, Global, News

Dakta Green.

Dakta Green wants to legalize cannabis. He’s open about his cannabis use – you kind of have to bee when you’re the co-coordinator of New Zealand NORML, you’ve been arrested for operating a place that openly allows the use and sale of herb – and has been a major an advocate for New Zealand repealing and reforming their marijuana laws.
And now Green is running for mayor of the Ruapehu District (roughly the same as a county in the United States) on the North Island of New Zealand on a cannabis reform/lowering electricity costs platform.

Questionable New Zealand study shows marijuana could double the risk for a stroke

By William Breathes on February 11, 2013 Culture, News

Last week, scientists in New Zealand announced the findings of a “study” they did on the correlation between cannabis use and certain types of strokes. Despite the shaky science, the finding has been moved around the world by now on dozens of media outlets — most of which aren’t questioning what’s behind it.

New Zealand Police Seize Marijuana Vending Machine

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 23, 2012 Global, News

Akl Seshnz

Above, a New Zealand police officer helps to carry The Daktory’s cannabis vending machine to a law enforcement vehicle Thursday night

“Live Like It’s Legal” is the motto of New Zealand cannabis activists The Daktory — and it appears they take their own advice. Police said on Friday that they had seized a marijuana vending machine during a raid on the cannabis club in Auckland, which campaigns for the herb’s legalization.

The vending machine, in suburban New Lynn, had been set up to dispense one-gram bags of marijuana for NZ$20 ($16.20) each, one of the campaigners behind the scheme told Agence France-Presse.

Police said they arrested four people and seized the vending machine, NZ$27,000 in cash and about 700 grams of cannabis. Also seized when they raided the property on Thursday evening were bongs, pipes and other items.

New Zealand Party Guarantees Access To Marijuana If Elected

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 25, 2011 Global, Legislation, Medical

Graphic: ALCP

A political party in New Zealand has guaranteed patients access to medical marijuana if elected to office in November.

The Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party (ALCP) said it will disband Medsafe if elected to ensure that cannabis and other natural medicines are freely available to patients who need them, reports Scoop.

According to the group, Medsafe in 2007 began a “modern day witch hunt” against the natural health industry in New Zealand, prosecuting merchants and seizing stock from producers of natural remedies who say their products have therapeutic benefits.

Guns, Sex And Gambling, But No Marijuana?

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 9, 2011 Culture

Photo: Pattaya Talk

By Jack Rikess

Toke of the Town

Northern California Correspondent

Americans love guns, sex and gambling.

Can you imagine anything getting in our way when it comes to the pursuit of the Big Three?

If it is our desire to have, hold or own any of the Holy Trio, God help the man or woman who tries to stop us. Because if you do…if you do…Try to stop us…We’re just going to have to look the other way. That’s just the way it is.

That is the way it is with everything in Life in America. Everything.

Except marijuana.

Starting with guns: Full disclosure, I like guns. I shot my first handgun a couple of months ago and really enjoyed myself. I was in the country and where I was staying, there were bear sightings.

While the .38 wouldn’t have done much to the bear except piss it off, my host felt that because how deep we were in the woods everyone in attendance needed to be familiar with guns, in case anything happened. It seemed perfectly acceptable to be prepared at that moment.

New Zealand Group Says Yes To Trials Of Medical Cannabis

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 3, 2011 Global, Medical

Graphic: Greencross Auckland

Pro-cannabis group Auckland Greencross has endorsed the New Zealand Law Commission’s recommendations that clinical trials of cannabis are undertaken and that bona fide users of medicinal marijuana become exempt from prosecution.

Stephen McIntyre, spokesman for the medical cannabis patients’ support group, on Tuesday said both proposals would find favor with the general public, as two out of three New Zealanders support allowing cannabis for medical use.

“Sixty five percent of submissions to this report — a figure consistent with online polling — favored the establishment of a scheme allowing people suffering from chronic, debilitating or terminal conditions to legally access and use herbal cannabis,” McIntyre said.

“Most medical users of cannabis, alongside the serious condition they’re forced to cope with on a daily basis, have the added stress of finding reliable access to quality medicine from a trustworthy source, compounded by fear of being caught by the police,” McIntyre said.

Medical Cannabis Patient With Cancer Facing Jail In New Zealand

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 19, 2011 Global, Medical

Photo: Free Peter Davy

Peter Davy: “My partner has advanced multiple sclerosis and I am her 24-hour caregiver. She is dying and will die without me.”

Peter Davy, a medical cannabis patient in New Zealand who suffers from cancer, deserves compassion and should not be sent to prison as a judge has threatened, according to activist group Greencross Auckland.

Davy, 51, who lives in Canterbury, New Zealand, has vowed to go on hunger strike if sentenced to prison.

“I want to make it clear that I will be going on a hunger strike the moment I am given a prison sentence and I absolutely do not want to be force fed under any circumstances,” Davy said. “I will also be refusing all cancer medication. I am 100 percent committed to continuing with a hunger strike until I am dead.”

“Here is a man capable of managing his own pain using medicinal cannabis while at the same time caring for a partner with multiple sclerosis,” said Greencross Auckland spokesman Stephen McIntyre.

“My partner has advanced multiple sclerosis and I am her 24-hour caregiver,” Davy said. “She is dying and will die without me.”

Marijuana Case Dismissed Against Four Men After $40K Trial

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on December 15, 2010 Global, News

Photo: Akl Seshnz

The victorious ‘Waiheke Four’ after all charges were dismissed for possession of cannabis and a bong

After a trial lasting nearly a year and which cost taxpayers about $40,000, marijuana charges against four New Zealand men were dismissed last week in Auckland District Court.

The case took a total of 11 months, required five court appearances, three legal aid lawyers, one interpreter, and two police witnesses traveling to and from Waiheke Island, according to NORML New Zealand.

The four men, dubbed the “Waiheke Four” by supporters, were arrested on New Year’s Eve last year sitting at a public picnic table on a beach on Waiheke Island. On the table and nearby, police found a bong and nine grams of cannabis.

“There was no evidence linking any of the men to the cannabis and bong, yet all four were arrested, charged and prosecuted in court,” said Stephen McIntyre, president of NORML New Zealand.

New Zealand: Gardening Customers Don’t Have To Show I.D.

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on May 25, 2010 Global, Growing

Photo: Bay of Plenty Times

Last month, police raided Switched On Gardener branches throughout New Zealand. Those must be some really dangerous gardens!

Last month, police raided Switched On Gardener branches throughout New Zealand, along with other gardening supply stores, after what they claimed was a two-year undercover investigation code named Operation Lime, reports Jared Savage at NZ Herald.

Under the new bail conditions, customers at the gardening supply stores will no longer have to hand over identification.

Directors at staff at the 16 stores were charged. The shops were allowed to continue operating as long as they followed strict bail conditions requested by police.

The Orwellian court order initially required every customer in the gardening shops to hand over their identification and give their phone number, address and date of birth. You know… Gotta watch those dangerous gardeners!

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