Cannabis press gallery

We curated a list of selected press items from New Zealand media to provide information relating to the cannabis referendum. This list is no longer updated.

Read more about our cannabis project

Commentary in the media

No longer updated | Last updated: 15 September 2020

September 2020

• This explainer from 1NEWS briefly outlines – in both video and written form – how the cannabis referendum will work.
• A legal cannabis market could result in an initial spike in use that would recede longer-term, as well as generating Government revenue of $675 million per year. These figures come from modelling published in two reports by Business Economic Research Ltd (Berl). Read coverage of the reports and their findings in this NZ Herald article by political reporter Derek Cheng, or listen and read on RNZ.
• Would legalisation change the ‘race-based’ targeting of Māori? Stuff national correspondent Carmen Parahi speaks to a group of people with diverse opinions about the legalisation of recreational cannabis use.
• In this wide-ranging kōrero, drug researcher Associate Professor Chris Wilkins and Hāpai Te Hauora chief executive Selah Hart discuss the referendum with The Spinoff’s Atea editor Leonie Hayden for an episode of ‘Conversations that count – Ngā Kōrero Whai Take’. Listen and read a synopsis on The Spinoff
• Juliet speaks to Kathryn Ryan on RNZ‘s Nine to Noon about the cannabis evidence summary. Listen to the interview on the RNZ website

August 2020

• Professor Joe Boden, deputy director of the Christchurch Health and Development Study, says that New Zealanders need more knowledge to make an informed decision in the cannabis referendum.
• Researchers Chris Wilkins, Simon Lenton and Tom Decorte write for The Conversation that it could take ten years to measure the impact of legalising cannabis in Aotearoa New Zealand.
• Stuff journalist Joel MacManus takes a look at what happened in other jurisdictions that legalised cannabis.
• Four experts weigh up the pros and cons of legalising cannabis in this story for Newshub.
• Alice Neville, deputy editor at The Spinoff, breaks down “everything you need to know about the 2020 cannabis referendum” in this Q&A-style explainer.

July 2020

• Professor Joe Boden writes in the Otago Daily Times about his experience as part of the PMCSA expert panel that produced the cannabis evidence summary.
• Drug policy researcher Associate Professor Chris Wilkins discusses his concerns about the proposed Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill on 1NEWS.
• Associate Professor Khylee Quince, Director of Māori and Pacific Advancement in AUT’s Law School, argues that the legislation resulting from the referendum must be decisive – one way or the other.
• The illegal status of cannabis is meant to deter its use, but most New Zealanders have used it. Political reporter Derek Cheng takes a deep dive into the findings of our cannabis expert panel and resulting evidence summary for the New Zealand Herald. Derek also interviewed Professor Juliet Gerrard about the work, discussing the potential for harm reduction but also the significant unknowns.
• The scientific evidence behind legalising cannabis is uncertain – political reporter Thomas Manch outlines the findings of the PMCSA cannabis expert panel’s evidence summary on Stuff.
• Juliet sat down on TVNZ’s Breakfast show to discuss the new website produced by an expert panel: an evidence summary called Legalising cannabis: What does the evidence say? Watch the interview and read a summary here

June 2020

• What can we learn from Aotearoa New Zealand’s history of drug reform? Dr Marta Rychert and Associate Professor Chris Wilkins, researchers in drug policy at Massey University, unpack the cannabis legalisation bill and examine possible implementation challenges.
• Associate Professor Joe Boden (director of the Christchurch Health and Development Study) writes about two long-term health studies, and what 40 years following thousands of New Zealanders tells us about cannabis harm.
• Professor Richie Poulton, Chief Science Advisor for the social sector and director of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, spoke to Kim Hill for RNZ‘s Saturday Morning programme about the health impacts of cannabis use.
• Law expert Associate Professor Khylee Quince tells 1NEWS Breakfast that the proposed legislation is an opportunity to bring cannabis under control, while drug researcher Associate Professor Chris Wilkins says the bill needs to be clearer. Watch the interview here

May 2020

• Out of 1000 Cantabrians aged 40, 50% opposed the legalisation of cannabis, according to new research led by the University of Otago’s Professor Joe Boden. Brendon Egan reports on the research, which analysed data from interviews conducted in 2017, prior to the announcement of the referendum.
• Will Kiwis pay attention to information that doesn’t bolster their preconceived notions about cannabis? Ananish Chaudhuri, professor of experimental economics at the University of Auckland, discusses ‘confirmation biases’ in the context of the cannabis referendum.
• New Zealand respiratory specialists highlight links between smoking cannabis and lung diseases such as bronchitis and ‘bong lung’ in a review of international evidence, reports Michael Neilson in the New Zealand Herald.
• Canadian business professor Michael J Armstrong compares New Zealand’s proposed cannabis legislation to Canada’s experience in this opinion piece.
• Associate Professor Fiona Hutton, from Victoria University of Wellington, describes her research focusing on New Zealanders with drug-related convictions and explains why we should think about the cannabis referendum – even in the midst of a pandemic.
• What will New Zealanders be asked to vote on in September? The Guardian’s Charlotte Graham-McLay summarises the key points in the proposed legislation.
• If the country decides to vote yes, what will the new rules be? Staff writer Alex Braae breaks down the cannabis legislation in a Q&A-style article on The Spinoff.
• The NZ Drug Foundation has raised some concern about the proposed THC limit for recreational cannabis under the proposed legal framework, as reported on RNZ.
• The Government has released the final draft of the Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill. Political reporter Collette Devlin unpacks the details on Stuff.
• A new discussion paper from the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research compares Aotearoa New Zealand’s proposed legal cannabis system with overseas examples. Newshub interviews the author Peter Wilson on the potential economic impacts of cannabis legalisation.

March 2020

• In a new series called ‘Out of the echo chamber’ in the Otago Daily Times, two anonymous members of the Otago community debate opposing sides of the cannabis question: should it be legal?
• Associate Professor Fiona Hutton (criminologist, Victoria University Wellington) unpacks some of the evidence from Aotearoa New Zealand and overseas on cannabis use and impacts.

January/February 2020

• The Whanganui Science Forum held a panel discussion on the cannabis referendum with Joe Boden (Associate Professor in psychological medicine, University of Otago), Fiona Hutton (Associate Professor in criminology, Victoria University), Whanganui MP Harate Hipango, former MP Nandor Tanczos, and member of the New Zealand Parole Board Chester Borrows. Watch a recording of the discussion on YouTube
• The Morning Report covers new research showing that the number of 14 and 15 year old kiwis trying cannabis has fallen by more than a quarter. But according to the same study, more people are trying cannabis later in life.
• Chris Wilkins (Associate Professor in drug research, Massey University) talks to The AM Show about falling cannabis conviction numbers.
• Freelance journalist Kate MacNamara takes an economic perspective, speculating that cannabis buyers may be unlikely to switch to legal sources based on statistics coming out of Canada.
• Chris Wilkins (Associate Professor in drug research, Massey University) tells 1NEWS that New Zealand needs more robust research into drug use trends and the effects of drugs on society.
• Alice Webb-Liddall (staff writer) dives into a 1975 Otago Law Review paper on cannabis legalisation by Kevin Dawkins (Professor of law, University of Otago), interspersed with commentary from Joseph Boden (Associate Professor in psychological medicine, University of Otago).

December 2019

• David Clement (North American affairs manager, Consumer Choice Center) shares his opinion on legalisation and unpacks issues with Canada’s recently enacted policy.
• Sally Casswell (Professor of public health policy, Massey University) examines how transnational corporations could influence a legal cannabis market with repercussions for public health
• Giles Newton-Howes (Professor of psychology) answers some questions about the clarity of the health effects from cannabis.
• Canadian business academic Associate Professor Michael J Armstrong outlines some potential lessons from Canada’s legalisation experience
• Joe Boden (Christchurch Health and Development Study Director) explores the issues with cannabis prohibition.
• Damien Venuto (business reporter) discusses the proposed legislation for the legalisation of cannabis.

November 2019

• Tuari Potiki (Drug Foundation Chair) discusses how cannabis regulations need to be designed with and by Māori to honour the Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
• Alice Webb-Liddall (staff writer) discusses how legalisation could address bias in the legal system.
• Andre McRae (reporter) discusses Claire Robinson’s (Massey University) analysis on the upcoming cannabis and euthanasia referendum.
• Brittany Keogh (reporter) discusses some recent results from US and what is needed to inform voters here.
• Kali Mercier (guest writer) discusses results from the recent State of Nation 2019 report on Alcohol and other drugs.

October 2019

• Jane Patterson (political editor) discusses plans to combat misinformation and manipulation for the cannabis legalisation referendum that expands on an earlier article here.
• Alice Webb-Liddall (staff writer) discusses legal systems in five countries and how these may impact the shape a proposed framework in New Zealand.
• Hannah McGowan (guest writer) discusses some potential benefits of legalising cannabis.

September 2019

• Alison Mau (senior journalist) discusses the effects of social media on democratic process and why it is important to be mindful for the cannabis referendum.

August 2019 and earlier

• Patrick Gower recently released his two-part series ‘Patrick Gower: on weed’ and in additional work, Patrick explored some of the negative effects of cannabis.
• Mike Hosking has voiced concerns for the legalisation of cannabis in New Zealand.
• Michelle Glass (Professor of pharmacology) and John Ashton (Associate Professor of pharmacology) discuss issues with safety and effectiveness of cannabis-based products.
• Jay Kuten (forensic psychiatrist) discusses the issues with current laws in New Zealand.
• Derek Cheng (political reporter) provides a summary of issues relating to legalisation.