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Cannabis is my medicine.  A yes vote in the Cannabis Legalisation and Control referendum will let me access cannabis safely, legally, with clear labels, affordably.

I should be
at netball practice.

Not in court for cannabis possession.

One of our followers on facebook messaged us…

I used to think that cannabis legalisation was just for stoners.

Then i was prescribed pain killers for a sports injury and had to turn to natural medicine to protect my liver.

Legalising cannabis allows me to access affordable cannabis products with clear labels and potency limits without doing shady deals with drug dealers.

With your help Make It Legal can change the law. Every little action helps us to legalise cannabis. Here are some things you can do to help.

Spread the Word

1. Know the facts

Read up on the reasons to support Cannabis law reform. The report from the Helen Clark Foundation, “The case for Yes” gives a good summary of the issues.

Direct people to the official Referendum page that has all the detail on the Cannabis Legalisation & Control Bill.

All voting and enrollment details can be found on the vote.nz page

2. Hear them out

There are a variety of reasons some people are concerned. Help them understand that legalisation also means control, regulation, reduced crime, and protecting our young people from access.

3. Be patient

New ideas take time. You can’t force people to change their mind.  Watch this video to pick up tips.

I can’t help but laugh when I hear people say they are voting no to protect our young people.

We aren’t protected right now.

We are offered other drugs like meth when we buy cannabis from dealers.

You want to keep me safe?

Put yourself in my shoes.

Vote yes to an age limit and to get rid of the illicit market.

Legalising means Adults can have a little joy in their life – without fear of repercussions. 

Ultimately a Yes vote in the Cannabis Legalisation and Control referendum will lead to legislation and control and will ensure occasional users, people like these two lovely women, are not persecuted.

This is a great Ted talk from Ethan Nadelmann on failure of drug prohibition and why we need to end the war on drugs.

People tend to think of prohibition as the ultimate form of regulation when in fact it represents the abdication of regulation with criminals filling the void.

Legalising means regulation not encouragement or endorsement.  Ultimately a Yes vote in the Cannabis Legalisation and Control referendum will lead to legislation and control and ultimately a decrease in the use of cannabis throughout New Zealand.

Every vote counts in the upcoming Cannabis Regulation and Control referendum, so today is a perfect day to ask a friend how they are voting in the cannabis referendum!

If you need facts to back you up, the faq section on our site has heaps of handy info.

Cannabis won’t be legal straight away after the referendum. Once the election is finished, the votes for the referendum will be counted. If there are more than 50% yes votes, the government will introduce the Bill to parliament.

First reading

The Cannabis Bill will then be read to parliament in a first reading. It is here that it will be initially debated in parliament. If it is mainly agreed upon, the Bill will then be referred to a “select committee”.

Select Committee

A Select Committee is a small group of MP’s (usually between 6 and 12) which are broadly representative of the parties in parliament. Their job is to examine all aspects of the Bill and its implications. It is in this part of the process that the public will be invited to make submissions. This means you can write in with your opinion on the Bill that came out of the parliamentary reading, for it to be taken into consideration. It is very likely that you will also be able to watch the Select Committee as they examine the Bill, either in person or online. Usually the Select Committee process takes about six months. After this time they will collate a report which will contain any amendments they would like to make to the Bill, and explanations of why they decided upon those changes.

Second reading whole house committee and third reading

The Select Committee will bring their report to parliament where it will again be read. If there are amendments that were not decided upon unanimously by the Select Committee they will be voted on in parliament after the second reading.

The next step is a “committee of the whole house” where any member of parliament can debate and make small speeches on any aspect of the Bill. This process can sometimes take a few days. Once the Bill is agreed upon and amended if necessary, there is a third and final reading in parliament.

Bills are unlikely to be rejected if they make it through to a third reading, but this the last chance for MPs to debate it, before it’s final form is passed to the governor general to sign. Once the Bill has been signed by the governor general, it becomes law.

Guest Blog by Angelina Stanton