Mother-Of-Three Has Heroin Overdose at Age 41 Despite Warnings to Authorities That She Was Drugged Out In February last year Tracey Brannigan, long-time drug addict and convicted dealer, partied with her lover in a highrisk cell at Sydney's Dillwynia women's prison. The next day she was found dead of a heroin overdose. Engineering student Boyan Slat is seeking funding for his ocean clean-up contraptions. Brannigan's tragic story unfolded during an inquest this week, revealing a series of failures by prison authorities including the last, final, mistake of not heeding warnings that the 41-year-old mother-of-three was bombed out of her head. [continues 619 words]
The ban last month of so-called legal highs came as a welcome relief to staff at Waitemata District Health Board, particularly our doctors, nurses and mental health workers who see first-hand the effects synthetic cannabinoids can have. As the discussion around synthetic cannabinoids evolved in the public sphere, it was not unexpected that talk would soon turn to the issue of decriminalising cannabis. As the district health board (DHB) responsible for running drug and alcohol addiction therapy services for the Auckland region, our staff see the clinical and social impacts of cannabis use on a daily basis. [continues 463 words]
Workers at Carter Holt Harvey's Eves Valley mill have won their case against mass drug testing. Almost 200 employees at the sawmill near Nelson were forced to have their urine tested after two cannabis plants were found growing on the site. Some 76 employees of Carter Holt Harvey Limited's Eves Valley Sawmill, who were also members of the Engineering Printing and Manufacturing Union, complained to the Employment Relations Authority (ERA) about the tests. The authority has found the employees were unjustifiably disadvantaged in being compelled to take the tests, and Carter Holt Harvey breached its duty of good faith to them. The workers are also to be compensated. [continues 518 words]
Your article "Good summer makes cannabis bust a boomer", ( Nelson Mail May 28) tells us, "5266 plants were seized throughout the district". So what are the consequences of this? A higher price for the remaining leaf that was not "seized". Which in turn will attract crafty chemists to manufacture synthetics and dope addicts needing to somehow increase their income (more crime?) to pay the higher prices. And let us not forget the huge amount of police resources used up. Is it not time we took a look at how prohibition is working here in New Zealand and ask: Is there a better way? I think there is. We control tobacco, alcohol and gambling with education, taxation and regulation. Should cannabis not join this group? At the moment cannabis cultivation is funding the crims and costing the taxpayer a mint. Would it not be better turning that around and have cannabis taxed and, like the taxes on alcohol, gambling and tobacco, funding the Government instead of the criminals? [continues 58 words]
A POISONS expert has warned of risks to users' health from new legal highs that have appeared to replace synthetic cannabis. Legal highs brand Tai High has introduced a new "non-psychoactive" smoking blend, claiming to be free of cannabinoids, nicotine and tobacco. The warning comes as information provided to The Dominion Post under the Official Information Act shows girls as young as 13 were left unconscious after smoking synthetic cannabis in the final months before the drugs were banned. National Poisons Centre reports reveal that users described "black vomit", suicidal thoughts and blacking out repeatedly after smoking the substances. [continues 525 words]
The prime minister claims to be taking money from the cannabis sales and redirecting it to those affected negatively by alcohol. What a perverted hypocrisy that is. Not only can cannabis growers look forward to an increase in police attention, the Government is looking to use drug money to clean up the mess the alcohol industry has created. It has huge budgets to sponsor sporting events and teams, but no money to help the addicts it creates. This Government keeps alcohol number one as the only legal recreational drug in town, without any competition, because of the illegal status of cannabis is assisting it monetarily. This drug (alcohol), sanctioned by the Key Government is definitely number one in the cause of assaults on females, assaults and abuse on hospital staff, the number one factor in police arrests, the number one factor in the traumatisation of children and of lost opportunities and potential in youth. This indeed is the number one act of cynicism by the Key Government on this issue. Waipukurau [end]
High Court Rules Against Boy's Bid A STUDENT who was expelled after being caught smoking dope during school hours, but not on school grounds, has lost his attempt to challenge the decision in the High Court. The Palmerston North Boys' High School student, then 16, was suspended and later expelled by the board of trustees' disciplinary committee in December. That prompted his mother to seek a judicial review of the decision. After being caught by police smoking marijuana with a group of other students, the pupil - who was dressed in uniform - was returned to school. [continues 269 words]
An international horticulturist is calling for cannabis to be legalised for medicinal use. Mike Nichols, who has travelled around the world consulting on horticulture, is a member of the International Society for Horticultural Science and former Massey University horticultural lecturer. This month the health select committee at Parliament considered a petition asking it to look at the decriminalisation of cannabis for pain relief and managing symptoms of chronic illness. The petition said that, unlike opioids, cannabis did not need to be taken in increased dosages to maintain pain relief. [continues 243 words]
DARGAVILLE'S illegal tinny houses may be the big winners after the government's U-turn on the legal sale of synthetic cannabis. With the change in the law that came into effect on May 8, Dargaville retailer Jonette Bartlett has stopped selling legal highs and has sent back all her stock to suppliers for a refund. But the B'arch Wear owner says she feels that new regulations will force her former customers to go back to smoking marijuana. '' A lot of them aren't happy,'' she says. [continues 429 words]
A woman who made herself cannabis cookies for pain relief has been discharged without a conviction, partly because she needed to travel to care for ill relatives. Alexandra Purucker, 60, of Takaka, who was charged with cultivating and possessing cannabis, was discharged without conviction in the Nelson District Court on Tuesday. Prosecutor Sergeant Graeme Eden said police went to Purucker's Takaka property on February 6 for an unrelated matter and discovered five plants scattered around her property. While police searched inside the property they discovered 71 grams of cannabis in her bedroom. [continues 173 words]
An international horticulturist is calling for cannabis to be legalised for medicinal use. Dr Mike Nichols, who has travelled around the world consulting on horticulture, is a member of the International Society for Horticultural Science and former Massey University horticultural lecturer. Earlier this month, the health select committee at Parliament considered a petition asking it to look at the decriminalisation of cannabis for pain relief and managing symptoms of chronic illness. The petition said that, unlike opioids, cannabis did not need to be taken in increased dosages to maintain pain relief. [continues 239 words]
It was a true "emperor has no clothes on" moment - Auckland Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse asking her colleagues why they were tying themselves into knots over regulating synthetic cannabis use, without taking into account that the natural, illegal alternative was a safer drug. She said: "I think we need to take a deep breath in this conversation and say what are we trying to achieve? Are we going to deal with the issue that people are going to make choices to smoke things that get them stoned? Have we been able to stop people doing that? Absolutely we haven't." [continues 746 words]
A student caught smoking dope during school hours, but not on school grounds, has wound up in the High Court after his mother challenged the school's decision to expel him. The Palmerston North Boys' High School student, then 16, was suspended and subsequently expelled by the board of trustees' disciplinary committee in December. That prompted his mother to seek a judicial review of the decision. The court case comes on the back of school principals saying parents are increasingly calling in lawyers over suspension matters, turning disciplinary hearings into " mini High Court trials". [continues 451 words]
A student caught smoking dope during school hours, but not on school grounds, has wound up in the High Court after his mother challenged the school's decision to expel him. The Palmerston North Boys' High School student, then 16, was suspended and subsequently expelled by the board of trustees' disciplinary committee last December. That prompted his mother to seek a judicial review of the decision. The court case comes on the back of school principals saying parents are increasingly calling in lawyers over suspension matters, turning disciplinary hearings into "mini High Court trials". [continues 478 words]
A STUDENT caught smoking dope during school hours, but not on school grounds, has wound up in the High Court after his mother challenged the school's decision to expel him. The Palmerston North Boys' High School student, then 16, was suspended and subsequently expelled by the board of trustees' disciplinary committee last December. That prompted his mother to seek a judicial review of the decision. The court case comes on the back of school principals saying parents are increasingly calling in lawyers over suspension matters, turning disciplinary hearings into "mini High Court trials". [continues 478 words]
Your article Son of legal high critic charged over cannabis (May 17) further highlights the problems generated by our out-of-synch cannabis laws and the need for a vigorous and rational debate on cannabis policy, as recently proposed by Auckland Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse. The negative consequences of cannabis prohibition raised by [Carterton councillor Jill] Greathead - criminal conviction, potential loss of employment and travel opportunities, not to mention the emotional trauma which could have had tragic consequences - are clearly disproportionate to the offence her son committed. [continues 69 words]
Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse's call for the decriminalisation of cannabis is welcome. It is great to see someone in local-body politics willing to support change. Western knowledge of the recreational use of cannabis has been around for some three centuries. Every sector of the plant is usable - the root, fibre, hurd, leaf, flower, and crystals. From it we can source many everyday needs, including paper and wood products, concrete, plastics, oil, foodstuffs, fabrics and medicines. Before international laws were introduced in the 1930s, it was not only the most successful medicant known, but so economically valuable that even one's taxes could be paid with it. Ideas espoused 100 years ago were misguided, and need to be reconsidered for the good of all. Mark Wheelan-Lamont, Auckland Central. [end]
I agree with Penny Hulse on the decriminalisation of cannabis. The focus should be on harm minimisation because it is impossible to police the use of the drug without turning ordinary folk into criminals. To this end, it should be legal to grow and use cannabis for yourself but not to sell it. If this strategy was adopted, the price would plummet and the police would have the power to prosecute those involved in distribution. This would allow those who use the drug to do so without establishing criminal connections. Andrew Montgomery, Remuera. [end]
Treating Pot Smokers As Criminals Doesn't Work the Issue Is a Health One, Writes Ross Bell. People who have problems with cannabis need help. A WELCOME outcome of the Government's disappointing U-turn on "legal highs" has been the renewed focus on wider drug policy, namely the contrast between the approach to synthetic cannabis and its natural cousin. Last week, Auckland City Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse suggested it was time to talk about cannabis law reform as a possible means of addressing demand for synthetics. [continues 712 words]
Police say they do not support the decriminalisation of natural cannabis despite calls by Auckland's Deputy Mayor that it's safer than banned synthetic versions. Penny Hulse said it was time New Zealanders discussed the decriminalisation of cannabis, much as they had had discussions on prostitution and same-sex marriage. But a police national headquarters spokesman said there was no political will for decriminalisation and their stance on the issue was clear. "Police do not support the decriminalisation of cannabis." [continues 497 words]
Inside New Zealand
