Pubdate: Thu, 19 Jul 2001 Source: Dominion, The (New Zealand) Copyright: 2001 The Dominion Contact: http://www.inl.co.nz/wnl/dominion/index.html Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/128 Author: Christine Langdon Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) I LONGED TO SMOKE CANNABIS AT PARLIAMENT - MORRIS Cannabis-smoking former youth affairs minister Deborah Morris says she longed to light up at Parliament during her three years in politics. "If I had been able to use cannabis openly and with the regularity that people drink alcohol around this place, then I would have," she said yesterday. Ms Morris, a co-founding member of the Coalition for Cannabis Law Reform, was back at Parliament to give evidence to a select committee inquiry into reducing cannabis harm. "We know of many people who have chosen not to declare their hand publicly, for fear of the social and legal consequences," she told the inquiry. She did not tell the committee of her own cannabis use. Speaking after the hearing, she said she resented that it was acceptable around Parliament to drink excessively, but not to smoke cannabis. "I felt that I wasn't able to talk about a significant part of my life. I worked with people who were talking all the time about their drinking exploits bragging, and saying they couldn't wait for a G and T," she said. "People who smoke cannabis live with the fear of social and legal consequences for their actions every day." Ms Morris, 30, said she considered herself a "role model in moderate, responsible use of cannabis". She smoked pot "recreationally" at weekends or for celebrations. "It energises me, I become inspired, I become really talkative, I get good at gardening and want to exercise a lot ... it enhances my life," Ms Morris said. At yesterday's inquiry she called for regulation to replace criminalisation of cannabis and, in the meantime, a moratorium on cannabis arrests. "Like it or not, New Zealand must learn to live with cannabis use," she said. Cannabis user Ben Knight, co-founder of the coalition, told the inquiry of the trauma of being arrested for cannabis possession. "I would describe it as being like post-traumatic stress disorder," he said. He felt resentful toward police and authority, and dissociated from non-smoking members of his family, friends and society. The Drug Foundation called for diversion and education programmes, instead of conviction, for people caught with cannabis. People with a history of offending, often for non-drug-related crimes, were denied diversion for cannabis possession and use, the foundation said. In 1999, about 12,000 people were apprehended for cannabis possession and use, with about half receiving informal warnings. Rotorua pathologist David Taylor raised concerns about the frequent presence of cannabis in blood tests after suicides. - --- MAP posted-by: GD