Posts by Ross Bell
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Colbert too:
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Hard News: The new medical cannabis law…, in reply to Russell Brown,
Poorly phrased - meant the 2 year time frame the government's estimated to set up the scheme.
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Not yet online, but will be here: https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/bills-and-laws/bills-proposed-laws/document/BILL_75877/misuse-of-drugs-medicinal-cannabis-amendment-bill
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It's a good bill. The defense needs to be extended to all patients and their suppliers. The game-changer is allowing a domestic market to develop - that *should* result in more products and at better cost. How that scheme is developed, and who sits on the advisory group (needs patient representation), will be very important.
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Oh, look what Helen just went and done:
http://www.globalcommissionondrugs.org/hc_jrh/ -
No, that's Russell... He's a meany.
Yes, we were critical of Labour's indifference to drug law reform in the lead up to the campaign... but they finally got there in the end (their Justice manifesto is clear on their intention to replace the Misuse of Drugs Act for example).
And as we saw with Peter Dunne, wise people can become very good allies when equipped with good information.
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For the first time in history (fact check?) The drug policy portfolio will be held by the Health Minister, not delegated. That's great. Now "let's do this."*
* fully implement Law Commission recommendations
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It's worth highlighting that in Labour's justice manifesto it commited to replace the Misuse of Drugs Act (as per Law Commission).... we don't need to wait until 2020 for that.
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The referendum is an opportunity... Not a perfect one, but we should make the best of it.
And it's not the last word. We have other reforms we could achieve before 2020.
And whoever is minister (unlikely JAG) we can work with them... Peter Dunne is a study in how good evidence sold well can shift someone's position.
Let's not relegate drug policy to an associate outside of cabinet in a junior party (a la Anderton and Dunne). Having the Health Minister retain responsibility is great. And don't stop there: involve other senior ministers in it... like the justice minister for example. Make drug policy mainstream.
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Hard News: Friday Music: Laneway,…, in reply to Russell Brown,
TBH, I’ve only just discovered their brilliance. Your post reminded me to play them, am doing that now to relax from my angry rant this morning about the other war on drugs.