Christchurch: The biggest joint smoked on J day here in Christcurch, was handed around, finally reaching it's demise after 55 minutes, with the smoking roach being ceremoniously handed over to Mike Britnell, Deputy Leader of the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party. This was an impressive 8 ounces (half pound) doob, that took a joint effort of least 2 people to hold it while one or two smoked it, while another kept the fire going! Wow it was a real high light of the day and we are glad it did not rain. Trying to smoke that huge monstosity and keep it lit at the same time, would have been much more challanging and not as much fun.

The Cannabis Party will present its views before select committee, this week in Christchurch. The Party will be speaking on two electoral reform bills as well as the review of MMP.

The ALCP does not support the Bill due to the fact that “the Bill does not contain an expenditure limit for promoters other than constituency candidates and political parties.”
For the Bill to reflect fairness, transparency and equity, we recommend there be a further amendment made for expenditure cap on third parties otherwise the wealthy will continue to have advantage over the poor.

 Switched On Gardener owner's assets frozen

A business owner says he will sue the Crown for millions of dollars if his company collapses and he is acquitted on charges relating to the supply of equipment and advice to cannabis growers.

Earlier this week police won a court order freezing a million dollar home and a bank account containing nearly $190,000 belonging to Switched On Gardener owner, Michael Quinlan.

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Lawyer claims Entrapment used in Lime Raids

New Plymouth shop assistant Reuben Wade, 25, was unfairly taken in an the undercover female detective who visited the Guru Gardener business. The officer had told Wade her mother was terminally ill with cancer and asked for help to grow cannabis plants to help alleviate her pain. Police have set him up, it is entrapment, it's effectively harassment by the police."

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 Switched on Gardener Bail Conditions Dropped.

Police have dropped their insistence that garden stores record customer details when selling certain types of equipment as part of the bail conditions for those arrested in the Operation Lime cannabis raids.

Misuse of Drugs Amendment 2010

The provisions for prohibiting the importation and supply of utensils used for the purpose of administering controlled drugs will be expanded to make it an offence to possess utensils for the purpose of sale or supply and prohibit the importation of incomplete utensils that, for example, require only the addition of a metal cone for burning cannabis to become usable. This will allow Police and Customs to more effectively enforce the utensils provisions and minimise the visibility and availability of drug paraphernalia.

Clause 4 amends section 22 by—

    *      increasing the range of actions that are offences in relation to pipes and other utensils; and
   

    *      including identifiable components of pipes and other utensils as items in relation to which offences may be committed.

The Cannabis Party are taking a big swipe at the NZ Police over the claim they are winning the "War on Cannabis". "Why are Police even fighting a 'War' against NZ Citizens?" asks Cannabis Party Spokesperson Julian Crawford. "We don't fight wars against other illegal activities."

More than 450 charges had been laid against 248 people, and more than 9000 cannabis plants stolen from their growers using military helicopters. Police believe this will win the "War on Cannabis" and reduce the impact of organised crime.

"This couldn't be further from the truth," says Crawford. "A mere 9000 plants only represents a tiny fraction of the actual number grown. The operation will increase the value of this remaining cannabis, boosting the profits of organised crime."

ALCP: Study Justifies Making Cannabis R18

Norml: Current Law Encourges Teen Cannabis Use

The recent Study into the academic achievement of young cannabis users demonstrates a clear reason to reform New Zealand's harsh cannabis laws. Currently there is no age limit for cannabis and since dealers do not check IDs, youths can buy cannabis easier than they can buy cigarettes and alcohol.

If the Government decided to regulate the cannabis economy, they could impose an R18 age limit. The Netherlands has the lowest rate of teen cannabis use in the world, as a result of allowing the sale of small amounts of cannabis to adults.