Other formats

    Adobe Portable Document Format file (facsimile images)   TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 33 No. 4. 7 April 1970

And at Victoria

And at Victoria

The SRC of 25 March advocated the amendment of New Zealand's narcotic and drug legislation to include the legalisation of the controlled use of marijuana.

The SRC also recommended that the Government should be asked to amend narcotic and drug legislation to differentiate between marijuana and narcotics.

At the Winter Council of NZUSA held at Otago in 1969 the marijuana issue was tabled for decision at the 1970 Easter Council after further investigation by constituent Universities. A sub-committee of the SRC was set up last year to consider all available evidence on marijuana. Its report was received by the SRC of 25 March and formed the basis of the Victoria delegates submissions at Easter Council.

"For the purpose under discussion "marijuana" means and includes any euphoriant preparation from the plant cannabis sativa, but does not include synthesised cannabinols.

"There is no clear scientific evidence that the effects of non-excessive use of marijuana in the long or short term are harmful or, alternatively, harmless.

"Marijuana is not, by pharmacological or medical definition, a narcotic, and should not, therefore, be legally defined as a narcotic.

"For the reason last stated, if for no other, the laws relating to marijuana are in need of change.

Because marijuana is not a narcotic, and has not been shown to be physically addictive, the committee thinks that marijuana usage should be more leniently treated than the usage of narcotics."

At the Winter Council of NZUSA held at Otago in 1969, the marijuana issue was tabled for decision at the 1970 Easter Council after further investigation by constituent universities.

As an outcome of the report and subsequent discussion at SRC, Victoria University representatives to NZUSA at Easter Council were to advocate:

That NZUSA call upon the Government to amend New Zealand's narcotic and drug legislation to differentiate between marijuana and narcotics; and

That NZUSA call upon the Government to amend New Zealand's narcotic and drug legislation to include the legalization of the controlled use of marijuana.