Pubdate: Thu, 14 Nov 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: NZPA (Wire) POT PROBE DELAYED BY COMMITTEE'S WORKLOAD A parliamentary committee's workload means its inquiry into the health effects of cannabis will not be completed until next year, says committee chairwoman Steve Chadwick. The long-running inquiry was not finished before the July 27 election and some speculated that the new health select committee might shelve the political hot potato. But Ms Chadwick said in September that all political parties represented on the committee had agreed that the inquiry should be completed and hoped a draft report would be finished within a month. Yesterday, Ms Chadwick said the committee wanted to complete a report on the inquiry, particularly given the many submissions received by the previous committee. "However, the committee has faced a considerable workload that has prevented it from focusing on this inquiry. "We hope that we will be able to produce a report early next year but have not set a deadline." The inquiry was started in late 2000 into the most effective health promotion strategies to minimise the use of and harm associated with cannabis, and to decide the most appropriate legal status for it. More than 550 submissions were received. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh