I sympathise with politicians on this issue. The majority of people (I think) still believe that drugs are bad mmkay?

Anderton should have been given associate agriculture or something (given the need to have him (and initially the other member of?

Anderton's daughter suffered from severe depression and took her own life. One of his sons was, however, an addict and suffered?

Nah, I'll stand by that. They've never distanced themselves from the policy, but I think it was felt by some senior?

A term that always struck me as inherently contradictory. For the life of me, I can't see the offence (other than in the most narrow legalistic terms).

As for the vile "wrong message to children" argument – although it's more on an excuse than an argument per se?

Sounds like a great night.

Rick Bryant got out of prison a few days ago. I struggle to see his incarceration as a good investment for the taxpayer.

I can't even imagine what aspect of the U.S. justice system makes the N.Z.?

You can choose your friends, but you can't choose your activists. When you're lobbying for a change in the criminal law, many of?

I interviewed her a couple of times as Leader of the Opposition. She was bracingly frank and extremely lucid.

She got less so after becoming Prime Minister, it must be said.

I always wonder about this. Why do those pushing law reform (campaign wise, i.e. norml) never lead?

I have this weird memory of a time in 1999 (or possibly 2000 – the early days of the fifth Labour government)?

With reference to my earlier suggestion of compulsory cannabis for National...
"Well, I'm relaxed about that, pretty happy, really quite happy. But we must attack those bats and I believe our 120 point plan will see a reduction of?

Yes I'd agree with that Russell , just as no doubt Sue Bradford was sidelined as their social issue voice as being too radical .

Part of the mainstreaming?

Therein lies the problem. Tanczos wasn?t perceived to be a credible witness by those he most needed to persuade. Like the 1986 homosexual law reform, the message is?

Actually, it?s 68th to the USA?s 1st.

And Mexico. And the Czech Republic. And Estonia.

I wanted to yell this out from the audience last night. Depending on your definition, perhaps we're second-highest?

I fear we need a good crisis to start cut through the layers upon layers of fuckwitedness involved.

But the real problem is that a pile of poo would rain down upon us from the United States, along the lines of the "we-don't-like-that-you-decriminialised-prostitution-so-we're-going-to-label-you-as-child-sex-slavers"

After all, look?

Cripes, those small ex-British Caribbean countries like to lock 'em up and throw away the key don't they? They make up half of the top twenty!

The general public has been treated to five decades of unrelenting, absolutist prohibitionist anti-drug propaganda from their?

All incarceration (which was the statistic being offered).

Yes they are scary aren't they

You're assuming that they're wrong. I'm not so sure that they are, sadly, and in any case I'm going to say [citation needed] on your proposition that it's some kind of retribution for us legalising prostitution. It's not like that affects them in __any__?

Long-term thinking required. Some drugs disrupt that. :)

The numbers have changed a bit over the years, and with the expansion of the OECD in 1995, and again in 2010, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that?

Don't forget DavidLange's earlier stance as well

Oddly enough I can't seem to find the actual online interveiw on the NORML website as they have updated it and you can't currently access the past versions.

I recall?

http://media.economist.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/full-width/images/2012/06/blogs/graphic-detail/20120630_wom934.png

Heh. And you have to ask yourself: are we prepared to drag >10% of our population through the courts.

Very entertaining, and Greg seemed very obviously energised. He said he didn't want to run for Parliament, but you kinda got the impression he did...

I believe that much of continental Europe has been amenable to liberal policies in general as part of a 'recoil-reaction' to mid-20th century fascism (Portugal was a dictatorship until 1974). Unfortunately this natural liberalism seems to be declining (and being twisted into islamophobia)?

And in the Anglosphere, it's dog-whistle politics and hyper-materialism.

and >10% could be 90%. :)

And they need to tackle one issue at a time- first medicinal cannabis,

You might enjoy this investigative piece on how long it takes to get a prescription in California. Personally I'm not convinced that undermining the integrity of the medical industry is a responsible starting point. Regardless of benefits,?

Vaporizers are popular for those concerned with smoke.

re we prepared to drag >10% of our population through the courts.

I?d be hesitant emphasizing this too much Russell. ?Drag? being a loaded verb, in this case describing the routine case of people walking in and walking / being escorted out?

Citizens choosing to break laws and in turn?

Vaporizers are popular for those concerned with smoke.

and each to their own Sofie ;p

Ahh, but normally one shares ;)

Sorry Russell I was careless above:

"less people are being processed, but more cannabis is being confiscated"

intending: ?more cannabis confiscation goes unreported.? Apologies.

As I'm not in a position to recount the story over a beer, a good start is "Collateral Damage" by the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (2007)

p29 is goes to the issues with the unique way the US has?

More that they tend not to pay attention to anything unless it affects them.

Also, are you sure you're positioned to call me naive when you appear?

Looks to me like we?

I'd say it's a *very* good argument against using the law as an instrument of social control.

The more?

Sorry! Didn't spot the irony :)

Have some NZ Government thought on the issue:
http://www.justice.govt.nz/publications/publications-archived/2002/protecting-our-innocence/child-prostitution

http://www.courtsofnz.govt.nz/speechpapers/NZ%20trafficking%20Paper%20-%20final%20-%203%20Feb.pdf

Also, we've been on the State Department's list since 2007, along with Australia. This is not a new issue. Again, you seem to think they've manufactured some random concern for whatever reason, instead of?

Well put. Btw Rich before I forget, there was a guy looking for you over on the KingPin thread...

...firearms...

To an extent it seems that this could be the point. If everybody is criminal in some manner,?

Yes, politics is a thankless business. It's moments like this I find the story of the Little Red Hen instructive:?

Y?know, I?d happily go on a database for that by choice, over many other reasons. I?m probably on one anyway. The police put one on databases all over the information highway as long?

Here is the Norml News article on Helen Clark that you were looking for.

[[http://thedaktory.org.nz/legalization/uruguay-to-legalize-marijuana-cultivation-and-possession/|Last year legislation was proposed allowing for plantation, cultivation and harvesting as well?

Everyone?s bitching for bread, but no-one wants to get their hands dirty.

Keen observation Will. There is clearly opposition to the law as it exists ? people be a? railing, and yet, other than Craig very few have gone to any length to clarify the terms and parameters of their?

Personally I feel that change should accommodate the right of adults to grow a minimal number of plants. Growers by necessity self educate, it would wipe $800million off the black market in one fell swoop,

The market for?

smokers realised that for a quantity and quality of supply they need to rely on the market.

myth.

change should accommodate the right of adults to grow a minimal number of plants

Excuse my brevity there Dex, I was about to have dinner, I probably could have worded myself better. I envisage ?the right to grow? as one (cost saving) aspect of a greater shift, be that medicinal?