Warren-Clark AngieANGIE WARREN-CLARK (Labour): Happy New Year to you Mr Speaker. I'm delighted to stand and take a call on this the first conscience vote of 2018. Indeed the Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Bill is part of one of those polarising conversations. We heard it throughout the elections. Weed pot dak reefer hunas buds spliffs cones Mary Jane marijuana and cannabis—drop those words into a conversation at a dinner party and note the division at the table. However this bill is not about the decriminalisation of marijuana. Wherever people sit in that debate that is not what we're discussing today. The Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Bill is about a very specific set of people using cannabis and cannabinoids. This bill provides a sensible step intended to provide improved access to medicinal cannabis for those that are terminally ill.This bill amends the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 and we've heard this. This bill amends the Act by defining cannabinoids or CBD as no longer classed as a controlled drug. I googled cannabinoid oil"—and I knew I was going to have trouble saying that—and my goodness there's a huge body of information on this product. I agree across the floor that we have insufficient evidence at present. However it looks hopeful that we have a drug to support those who are terminally ill. This bill also defines what cannabinoid or CBD is. There's four parts to that and each of those four parts must be included in order for a cannabinoid to actually be a medicinal drug. That as we've heard about is the medicinal non-psychoanalytic. In legal terms therefore cannabinoid is defined cumulatively in four sections.Before we get to that product we need to look at the situation right now however. Before we get there we need to look at what we need to do now. The second definition in this bill is incredibly important. This is where the users of cannabis are defined. This bill provides we have heard that those who are terminally ill—in this context those persons who can reasonably expect to die within 12 months—are able to use this product. I like every person here today would not like to be in that position and we've heard some of those stories today. We do not want to see these people criminalised in the last year of their life. The Labour position—having listened to the community we have adopted a compassionate view that people who are suffering from terminal illness need access to medicinal cannabis to alleviate their suffering. This is fair. This is the right thing to do and I believe across the floor we have agreement on that. If someone is suffering from a terminal illness and wishes to use they can access this form of pain relief. Always remember taking CBD or cannabis products is the choice of that person who is terminally ill.This bill also addresses the care of the terminally ill in the near future. This bill makes it clear that you are no longer going to be criminally liable for smoking or using marijuana products. This bill therefore gives (a) a defence for the possession of cannabis products and (b) a defence for the possession of utensils. Please note however budding growers out there in Aotearoa this bill does not make it legal to supply cannabis. We've had and heard that. So therefore this bill needs some serious consideration. This is a weighty matter and I urge members to support this bill to select committee so democracy can be served with people able to have their say. I note also that I sit on the select committee. Thank you Mr Speaker."