A New Zealand cop states the obvious: NZ's war on cannabis must end.
The frontline officer shared his opinion in a September 'I Am Keen' column for Police Association magazine ‘Police News,’ in which officers have the opportunity to anonymously voice their views on police operations…
He says his perspective on the crime has changed over his time as an officer.
"I have dealt with drugs on an almost daily basis in the course of the job, whether it's seizing them or dealing with the after-effects on users.
"But I often question why we prosecute people who have small quantities of cannabis on them… does punishing a user of a drug, any drug, actually impact on their decision to use that drug? I don't think so.
"People use drugs for various reasons. The thought of being prosecuted for such behaviour is obviously something they have considered briefly and then decided not to worry about it.
"Punitive measures often have very little impact on the fight against drug use."
He argues treatment and education are the answers to drug problems, not criminal sentences.
"Slapping someone with a criminal conviction for possessing one gram of anything is a disproportionate punishment." …
"This war on drugs is not sustainable and cannabis reform needs to be at the heart of a wider debate about how we deal with drugs. Making criminals out of users benefits nobody."
He’s right you know.
[Hat tip NZ Law Enforcement Against Prohibition]
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