Dyson Ruth: Motions — Misuse of Drugs (Classification of Ketamine) Order 2009 and the Misuse of Drugs (Presumption of Supply—Ketamine) Order 2009—Approval 
Dyson Ruth: Motions — Misuse of Drugs (Classification of Ketamine) Order 2009 and the Misuse of Drugs (Presumption of Supply—Ketamine) Order 2009—Approval 
[Volume:662;Page:10670] 
Hon RUTH DYSON (Labour—Port Hills) 
: 
 I start by acknowledging the Associate Minister of Health Peter Dunne and thanking him for his comments in praise of the Health Committee and its consideration of this issue. The only puzzle I have is what triggered the referral of such items to a select committee rather than the Associate Minister being able to sign them off directly. That is an issue that the select committee is yet to receive advice on. It is not a criticism; it is just an interesting difference in process. I also acknowledge the Associate Minister and congratulate him because I understand that earlier this week he was a recipient of a very distinguished award which acknowledged his support of philanthropy in New Zealand. I think that that is a matter of pride. We will all share in his glow from that award. I think it was well deserved. The other recipients are very highly regarded people. Peter Dunne now joins that list and I congratulate him on that. 
As the Associate Minister said in his introductory comments the reclassification of ketamine is not directly comparable to the way that other drugs have been considered by this House. Ketamine is a drug that is legally used but not for recreational purposes. It is a drug that is used by vets but over recent times it has become more prevalent as a recreational drug in New Zealand. The habit has been imported in particular from Asia. It is very commonly used as a recreational drug in Asia particularly in Hong Kong. This drug has some serious consequences. Its use does not cause serious health effects but it can do enough to have a person admitted to hospital and treated. Although those health impacts are not permanent long-lasting or significant the Health Committee nevertheless looked at these orders the Misuse of Drugs (Classification of Ketamine) Order 2009 and the Misuse of Drugs (Presumption of Supply—Ketamine) Order 2009 and decided that approving them was an appropriate step to take. 
One of the more concerning aspects that we were made aware of was that people who use this drug recreationally have a feeling of disassociation with the objects people and activities around them which can be quite dangerous. They literally are not aware of their connection to activities that are going on around them. Obviously that can put them in very vulnerable or dangerous situations rather than it being a case of the drug itself causing some physical effects. 
Another consideration that the Health Committee examined in its process of looking at these recommendations was on the advice it received from the Expert Advisory Committee on Drugs particularly in terms of understanding how the process the advisory committee had followed led it to the conclusion that ketamine needed to be reclassified. The proposed classification of ketamine as a class C4 controlled drug would allow the police and other enforcement agencies greater powers and it would increase deterrent penalties. Obviously one would be able to be convicted for importing ketamine unless it was for the purpose for which it is originally intended—that is as I mentioned earlier for use by a vet. The classification also considers manufacturing ketamine supplying it to a person up to the age of 18 and selling or offering to supply it to a person 18 years or over which would incur a maximum penalty of up to 8 years’ imprisonment. So this is not being considered as a light measure. Further penalties would include up to 7 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit such an offence and up to 3 months’ imprisonment or a fine of $500 or both for possession in breach of section 7 of the Misuse of Drugs Act. 
I think it is a rare moment in this Parliament—which perhaps has not been seen before in the life of this term—when the Associate Minister who is from United Future moves a resolution that Labour supports and I am sure that will be followed by National supporting it. I think that both the Green Party and the ACT Party will support it. If the member representing the Maori Party takes a call in this debate and supports it there would be a break-out of agreement and perhaps we might consider having the House rise early at that point— 
Hone Harawira 
: Hear hear! I’ll second that. 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: —because it happens so rarely. That has been moved by Peter Dunne and seconded by Hone Harawira! 
To go back to the more serious issue we know that a lot of people put pressure on members of Parliament to have drugs classified in different ways. Certainly it was the view of the select committee that this should not be a response that happened as just a knee-jerk reaction after a single event. This matter has been well considered by people who have expertise in this area and the Health Committee took very serious note of the considerations that those people had taken into account when proposing this recommendation. On that basis Labour is pleased to support this motion.