Police Association President Gives Three Reasons For Drug Legalisation

Police Association President Greg O'Connor's linking of the drug underworld and gun crime provides strong evidence in the argument for legalising and controlling drugs like cannabis.

"Greg O'Connor has given us three exceptional reasons to end this wasteful War on Drugs before it gets even worse*, and to start employing a sensible approach of regulation and control; saving money, creating tax, and diverting precious Police time and resources into serious crime," NORML President Phil Saxby said today.

"Mr O'Connor has been a police officer for 35 years - the same length of time as the Misuse of Drugs Act - and over that time he has witnessed (in his own words) "enormous growth in criminal wealth" driven by the illicit drug trade."

"He acknowledges how great the incentives are for thievery, double-crossing and violence because of the great value placed on drugs simply because they've been made illegal."

"And he explains how people at all levels of the organised drug world in New Zealand have begun arming themselves for protection - both from Police and from each other."

Mr Saxby explained that all three points support the argument that NORML has been making for decades: that prohibition creates a lucrative black market which leads to violence.

"This puts ordinary people who use illicit drugs in situations with the potential for great danger."

In 2003, the New Zealand Health Select Committee said that drug prohibition both "facilitates the black market and potentially exposes cannabis users to harder drugs." **

"Now, 400,000 Kiwis admit to smoking cannabis. The Misuse of Drugs Act has done nothing to stop that and has instead created a vast and lucrative black market."

"With the Law Commission reviewing the Misuse of Drugs Act, it's refreshing to hear the Police Association President finally admit to the fact that the law is not working," Mr Saxby concluded.

Ends

© Scoop Media