Pubdate: Wed, 14 Nov 2012
Source: Northern Advocate (New Zealand)
Copyright: 2012 Northern Advocate
Website: http://www.northernadvocate.co.nz
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2929
Author: Mike Dinsdale

CANNABIS TOURISM IDEA MOOTED FOR NORTHLAND

Cannabis law reformers want Northland to trial marijuana
liberalisation in a bid to increase tourism after the American states
of Colorado and Washington voted to legalise the drug.

But a regional tourism leader doubts relaxing cannabis laws would
boost tourism as claimed by the National Organisation for the Reform
of Marijuana Laws (Norml).

Colorado and Washington last week voted to legalise marijuana
possession for people aged 21 and over and Norml spokesman Abe Gray
said New Zealand should do the same to attract more tourists.

Mr Gray said Norml wanted the idea trialled in one part of the country
and suggested Northland.

"It would need to be a decision made by Government. We'd then like to
see it trialled on a regional basis first and Northland would be the
ideal place," he said.

"Northland, which is the cannabis capital of New Zealand, could vie
for the opportunity to be the first in the trial."

Mr Gray admitted neither National or Labour were keen on relaxing
cannabis laws, despite the Law Commission recommending the laws be
changed.

Mr Gray said cannabis could be taxed at a higher rate than other goods
and part of the taxes used for drug education and rehabilitation. The
Government would also save the $500 million a year it spent on
cannabis enforcement and imprisonment.

But Whangarei District Councillor Jeroen Jongejans, who is also
chairman of the Northland Tourism Development Group and a member of
the Tourism Industry Association board, did not believe cannabis
tourism would work in Northland or be what the region wanted or needed.

Mr Jongejans' native Netherlands has one of the most liberal cannabis
regimes, with small amounts allowed for personal consumption and
marijuana sold in the country's "coffee shops".

However, that did not mean it should be a goer in Northland.

"Amsterdam is the dope smoking capital (of Europe) with its coffee
shops, but I don't think lots of people go there just to smoke dope. I
don't see any great benefits for tourism in Northland by legalising or
decriminalising cannabis."

Mr Jongejans said the Netherlands was also surrounded by many other
countries, with free access for other citizens from other European
Union countries.

"It'd be along way to come to New Zealand just to smoke a
joint."

He said the region had strategies in place to increase visitors and
cannabis tourism was not one of them.
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MAP posted-by: Matt