No change for marijuana

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32635, 17 June 1971, Page 2

No change for marijuana

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, June 16. There should be overwhelming evidence before cannabis was classified in a different manner from other drugs, the Minister of Justice (Mr Riddiford) said in Parliament today in reply to Mr D. A. Highet (Nat., Remuera).

Mr Highet had asked what i the Government was doing to i discourage young people i from associating with known i drug addicts. 1 The Minister said that the < Government’s approach to the i

matter would be announced in due course. The whole subject was under intensive study, which was necessary because of the complexity of the matter and the considerable dissent among apparently well-informed persons over the best method to curb what the overwhelming majority of ordinary and expert opinion regarded as a serious evil. Mr Highet then asked if the Justice Department differentiated between so-called “soft” and “hard” drugs. Mr Riddiford said there should be overwhelming evidence before cannabis was classified differently from other drugs. At present there was no difference in law. In reply to another question, the Minister of Health (Mr McKay) told Mr Highet that the Government was obtaining the fullest' possible information on the drug problem. Mr Highet then asked whether the Minister was prepared to state from the information available that marijuana acted as a “softenerup” to “hard” drugs. Mr McKay: I would say the answer is yes.