Pubdate: Thu, 24 Jan 2002
Source: Evening Post (New Zealand)
Copyright: Wellington Newspapers (2002) Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.evpost.co.nz/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/142

POT PARTY EYES GREENS

The Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party may dissolve this year and advise 
supporters to vote Green instead, ALCP president Michael Appleby says.

Its election strategy would depend on the outcome of a parliamentary health 
select committee inquiry into cannabis use and law reform, he said 
yesterday. "If the select committee does enough, is it worthwhile 
dis-establishing the party . . . and suggest people vote Green?"

ALCP polled 1.6 per cent of the vote in 1996 and 1 per cent in 1999 - 
small, but it would help the Greens' election chances, he said. However, 
the Greens would have to make cannabis law reform a higher priority than at 
present to get any ALCP vote.

It would not be the first time the ALCP has worked with the Greens. Its 
Coromandel candidate stood aside in 1999 to boost Green co-leader Jeanette 
Fitzsimons' chances.

Green cannabis law reform spokesman Nandor Tanczos was on the ALCP list for 
the 1996 election but left the party immediately afterwards.

Mr Tanczos said the Greens would welcome ALCP support, but he rejected Mr 
Appleby's criticism the Greens were not doing enough on cannabis.

"It's one of the many important issues that we are dealing with. We face an 
ecological crisis, to put (cannabis law reform) in perspective."

The Greens and ALCP support no penalty for simple personal use and 
possession of cannabis for persons aged 18 and above. They expect the 
select committee cannabis inquiry to recommend some sort of liberalisation 
but believe Labour won't implement any changes before the election. The 
select committee has received 562 submissions, and held a public hearing in 
November.
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MAP posted-by: Beth