Large-scale cultivation is a key source of income for some parts of the country. The effects of legalisation of personal cannabis use will be carefully monitored. A comprehensive 'growlocal homegrown' model, involving full legalisation and licencing of small-scale local cultivation and trading will be developed. The introduction of this model will depend on the evaluation of the effects of the initial legalisation steps above and will be considered as part of the overall review of drug policy described below. The Green Party believes that laws governing the use and abuse of drugs in New Zealand are well overdue for review.
People currently use and abuse prescription drugs, legal drugs and illicit drugs.
Therapeutic, social and recreational drug use needs to be distinguished from drug abuse. Harm reduction must be the overriding goal of a review of drug laws. Such a review will need to establish a consistent approach to the controlled availability of drugs. To this end, the Green Party proposes that cannabis law reform is complemented by a comprehensive and public review of drug laws over a two-year period.