Drug law fix costs much less than private prison

New Zealand can eliminate the bogus 'need' for a new 1000 bed privately-run prison in South Auckland by decriminalising and regulating cannabis. It is a long overdue civil society reform that would recognise cannabis prohibition as bad policy and a total failure.

Whether the new prison is private or public, there is a massive conflict of interest in a NZ justice system which relies on maximum crime for maximum public funding. The taxpaying public of New Zealand is being ripped off on a scandalous scale.

Government advisors have acknowledged in the past that any increase of cannabis use following liberalisation would be likely to be more than compensated for by reduced criminality in the community. Taxpayers should think long and hard about lowered or redirected policing costs and better targeting at 'real' crime.

Government interests are deliberately avoiding any mention that expensive and dysfunctional drug policy might be at the core of what is chronically wrong with burgeoning prison musters, and many law and disorder problems.

It is an absolute farce and pretence that the prohibition system is working as intended. The Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party say more realistic and equitable cannabis R18 legal status is required for any semblance of credible rule of law in New Zealand.

The Misuse of Drugs Act was introduced in 1975 following the Blake-Palmer Health Committee analysis which recommended "continuation of [cannabis] prohibition so long as it may be shown to be largely effective". Thirty-five years later cannabis policy should be under particular scrutiny as the NZ Law Commission reviews the Misuse of Drugs Act and appropriateness of current regulations.

Public submissions close on 1 May (J-Day) on what could be the turning point for GOOD GOVERNANCE in NZ, see www.talklaw.co.nz or www.alcp.org.nz for more details.

The Law Commission's current review of the Misuse of Drugs Act provides an opportunity to disinfect the country of its toxic 'black market' and stop digging the criminalisation hole ever and ever deeper.

Mr Power, Ms Collins and Mr Key – We are not criminals – cannabis is wrongly and destructively defined as a crime.