Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

Safer Christchurch - A MildGreen Initiative?

Media Release - Another MildGreen Initiative

*SAFER Christchurch - A MildGreen Initiative? *

Christchurch City, yesterday awarded by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for its safe city initiatives at this weeks international talk fest "SAFER Communities" is also being contributed to by longtime city resident health and safety campaigner Blair Anderson today in Victoria Square.

The former city Mayoral aspirant has been an outspoken advocate for informed dialog around public policy bringing to the city's attention the highly successful program 'SAFER' with its focus on reducing alcohol related harms.

"Does use of Cannabis contribute to morbidity, sexual assaults, domestic violence, violent crime? Obviously no, but the same cannot be said for Alcohol." says the proponent for Safer Alternatives For Enjoyable Recreation [SAFER] "Clearly cannabis is less harmful to the user and society than alcohol, the prohibiting of adults from making the rational, safer choice is bad public policy."

Anderson draws the attention of media during this election to the 'unquestioned' six year moratorium on discussing cannabis policy despite enormous international and domestic progress by civil society at the highest level. "This is history in the making" says the proponent for law reform, "both at the UNGASS and NZ's Law Commission review."

The MildGreen 'Class-D' drug classification was first proposed at teh Misuse of Drugs Ammendment #4 Select Committee review is seen as world leading policy applauded by visiting experts and NZ drug czar, Hon Jim Anderton, but how many know it came from the home of law reform and international drug policy harm reduction - Christchurch.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

Recently Professor of Law (Otago) Kevin Dawkins declared Class-D the innovation required to provide a legislative frame work for drug control. (see NZ Law Journal)

"The stymied discussion has seen our communities struggle with deficient drug policy, seen an escalation in hard drug prohibition related harms and a continuing, if expedient, political clamour for draconian sentencing absent any robust test of what is broken." says Anderson.

"When have you heard political leadership or candidates tested on drug war efficacy" by journalists or commentators?, "Yet we are the only western democracy held to ransom by a mere 1% of the MMP vote that access to the treasury cheque book is governed by a clause that thou shalt not talk about cannabis for two electoral terms."

Christchurch's sister city, Seattle described in a letter to Denver Colorado authorities that the SAFER initiative there had been declared successful and cheap. Even opponents of the pro-marijuana initiative in Seattle, City Attorney Tom Carr, said his fears that usage would spike dramatically haven't materialised, noting that the "treat cannabis as the lowest possible priority" directive to police had seen minor drug offences plummet to a mere 59 for all of Seattle.

We should not be surprised that our Mayor, Bob Parker has patently refused to even discuss the initiative despite all-out ratepayer funded response to the alcohol problem in the city.

In these uncertain economic times all alternatives deserve to be 'on the table' says the communitarian social ecologist.

The curious are welcome to come and see and discuss the implications of this crime reducing health inspired city wide policy initiative at a lunch time forum on the steps in front of the Cathedral at Noon today and later outside the City of Christchurch Convention Centre - the venue hosting the SAFER CITIES milliondollar "talk about everything but" boondoggle.

The MildGreen Initiative recently sponsored the tour by" Law Enforcement Against Prohibition" proponent and retired British Columbia Provincial Law Court Judge Jerry Paradis.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.