Tanczos Nandor: Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill (No 3) — In Committee Third Reading 
Tanczos Nandor: Misuse of Drugs Amendment Bill (No 3) — In Committee Third Reading 
[Volume:626;Page:21507] 
NANDOR TANCZOS (Green) 
: 
 To be fair to the previous speaker Judy Turner perhaps I made some uncharitable remarks earlier and it is a very complex and difficult bill. One of the things I think there is widespread agreement on is that there needs to be a major review of the misuse of drugs framework in order to produce some kind of coherent integrated drugs framework. 
I rose though to address the amendments of Barbara Stewart and I do so because the New Zealand First member raised the issue. Unlike Judy Turner I do not think New Zealand First’s amendment is a particularly conservative or safe approach to these substances. Ms Stewart is trying to add party pills herbal drugs and all other psychoactive substances to the schedule as we have done with benzylpiperazine. I have to ask what that would mean. Herbal drugs—does that mean that health food shops selling chamomile tea which is a known relaxant will now have to restrict it make it R18 and have labelling and manufacture restrictions? Does that mean grocers selling lettuce which we know contains an opiate latex will suddenly have to make it R18? Does it mean that nutmeg will be restricted to adults? Will we be raiding Little India franchises to bust them for selling curries to minors? It is just bizarre! Let us get real about what it would actually mean. 
Adding all other psychoactive substances to the schedule would clearly include Coca-Cola because it contains caffeine. The rumour I have heard—I do not know whether it is true; I am a bit younger than many of the members here—is that one of the contributing factors to the horrors of the Pinochet regime in Chile was the nationalisation of Coca-Cola. If that is true imagine what it will do to us if we try to make its product R18! It will not just be a military takeover; it will be lining us all up against the wall. 
 When we start to use those kinds of definitions which are so broad we have to actually understand what they mean. Perhaps I am being a bit light with the member’s amendment but I think it does demonstrate that we have a pretty strange attitude when it comes to psychoactive substances because they are all through our society. Drugs are all though our society and I do not know whether there is a member in this Chamber who does not use drugs in one form or another. I would be highly surprised if that were the case. Very few people use no drugs and I think that situation would probably apply only to strict Mormons. 
Steve Chadwick 
: Nicotine. 
NANDOR TANCZOS 
: Nicotine—exactly! Many members of this Parliament smoke. Drugs are rife in this society. Many members of this Parliament use some of the most dangerous drugs that are available in this country. Tobacco is one of the most addictive drugs and one of the most damaging to the body. Members of this Parliament smoke. 
Bill Gudgeon 
: What about cannabis? 
NANDOR TANCZOS 
: Well actually that is quite incorrect. The member needs to look at the evidence on how many people die from smoking tobacco a year compared with how many people die from smoking cannabis a year which is zero. Then the member might be informed enough to express an opinion on the matter. 
The question was put that the following amendment in the name of Nandor Tanczos to clause 36 be agreed to: 
to insert in subclause (1) after the words “section 34(1) the words “or section 4(1) of the principal Act”.