Green MP Nandor Tanczos today dismissed a complaint laid with police by New Zealand First's Craig McNair as being a perfect example of the way in which scarce police resources are wasted.

"This is a cheap little stunt," said Nandor. "Does he really think a police investigation of me will in any way reduce the amount of cannabis being sold to kids?

"The tinny house operators will be happy to have such a good advocate: the more police resources being wasted on this sort of nonsense, the fewer police to close down the illegal operators who are selling to underage kids.

"Yes, I use cannabis - about once a month, which is a lot less frequently than many members of New Zealand First take a glass of whisky. If Craig McNair is so worried about role models for our country's youth, then maybe he should go down to Courtenay Place at 3am and raise it with senior members of his own caucus.

"There is a big problem with cannabis use amongst kids in this country, and decades of draconian law enforcement have not made any difference. The Greens offer a clear, comprehensive policy for reducing cannabis use amongst under-18s and putting the suppliers out of business.

"Make cannabis R18 and instead use the money saved from persecuting responsible adults on busting the tinny houses where kids get it from, and properly fund drug education. It's quite simple. It seems to me that the only people who really have no problem with drugs in schools are those that won't do anything to stop it.

"New Zealand First has been particularly vague about its drug policy, leading many to suspect that it doesn't even have one," said Nandor. "My advice to Craig McNair is: get a policy you can actually debate. And get a life."

ENDS

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