Pubdate: Fri, 14 Jun 2002
Source: New Zealand Herald (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2002 New Zealand Herald
Contact:  http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/300
Author: MARTIN JOHNSTON, health reporter

CANNABIS REPORT IN HAZE OF UNCERTAINTY

Divided MPs inquiring into legalising cannabis failed to deliver a report 
before the election was called on Tuesday.

This has created uncertainty about whether Parliament's health select 
committee will complete the report, and has prompted a claim that opponents 
of legalisation have tried to quell debate.

The committee's inquiries into cannabis, and into Northland women's doctor 
Graham Parry, hover over a black hole between yesterday's end of this 
Parliament and the start of the next.

It will be up to the new committee whether to carry on with the inquiries 
because they were initiated by the previous committee, rather than by 
Parliament itself.

Outgoing chairwoman Judy Keall, a Labour MP who is retiring from politics, 
said yesterday she was certain the next committee would pick up the Parry 
inquiry, even if it was dominated by Labour.

The Alliance broke ranks with Labour last year, joining National and Green 
members of the committee to set up the inquiry, which also looked at 
quality assurance processes.

But Mrs Keall appeared less sure about the future of the inquiry into the 
legal status of cannabis and how best to minimise its use and associated harm.

"My guess is that it may proceed ... It's more likely there may be an 
interim report because of the diversity of opinion [among members]."

She said her committee's reports on both inquiries had been held up by 
having to deal first with higher-priority business, such as district health 
board financial reviews.

A spokesman for pro-cannabis lobby Norml, Mike Harding, said his group was 
upset that the committee had failed to report before the election.

MPs opposed to liberalising cannabis laws had tried to "bury the subject", 
he said, but Norml would resurrect it as an election issue.

The inquiry into Mr Parry, begun after a string of complaints about him, is 
near completion.

The Medical Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal found him guilty of 
disgraceful conduct over his mismanagement of a patient, Colleen Poutsma, 
who later died of cervical cancer.

Mr Parry has been found guilty of two lesser charges involving other 
patients. He has appealed against one of those rulings and is awaiting the 
penalty decision on the other.

He was judged not guilty of three other charges.

A spokeswoman for Health Minister Annette King said she anticipated the new 
committee would complete the Parry report "because they are well down the 
track".
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart