[January 18]
MEDIA RELEASE
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Tolley bitches about beneficiaries growing pot

Anne Tolley's bitching about beneficiaries being too well off because they grow cannabis is a gross generalisation which highlights the government's failed drug policy.

Tolley said beneficiaries were living pretty good lifestyles because of "a bit of dole, a cash crop and kaimoana."

If cannabis was legal beneficiaries and other New Zealanders could buy it from dispensaries, which would pay GST and other tax to the government.

Instead invalids and other beneficiaries, who rely on medical marijuana for pain relief, are forced to grow it or buy it from the black market.

"There would be less people on benefits if cannabis was legal because it would stimulate free-market job creation," Cannabis Party leader Julian Crawford said.

"There are also tens of thousands of law abiding beneficiaries who don't grow cannabis but are being falsely accused of a crime by Tolley."

Crawford said the best way to reduce the number of beneficiaries was to end prohibition, which had done nothing to undermine demand for cannabis but had driven profits into the hands of gangs.

ENDS

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