Too many people are dying. New Zealand needs to talk about decriminalising drugs

The status quo approach to drug policy is broken. I refuse to accept that we’re helplessly and cluelessly bound to continue repeating past mistakes. It’s past time to end the war on drugs, and the pain and suffering associated with it, in favour of an evidence-based approach. Politicians have it within their power to do so, and the people they represent have every right to be calling for urgent, cross-party action. This week, New Zealand’s chief coroner released the information that in the past twelve months, up to 45 people in this country have died as a result of synthetic cannabis. There’s a number of ways to respond to that fact, but I hope the starting point for many is a human response: a sense of loss. These are unnecessary deaths. We do not know the details yet – there is a substantive coroner’s report on the way – but if the previous reports of deaths of the same nature are anything to go by, these people will be among the most vulnerable in our society. There will be an important spate of commentary following this news, most of which will call on politicians to do “something”, and I think… Read full this story

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