The Green Party will use an evidence-based, harm minimisation approach to alcohol and other drug law in place of criminal prohibition on one hand and commercial privileges on the other. We will provide accessible and affordable services for substance use disorders, a legal and regulated cannabis market, and other harm reduction measures, such as education.
Vision
An evidence-based legal framework promotes and delivers health, wellbeing and informed agency where people may choose to use substances.
Values and Principles
Drug policy must be consistent with the following values and principles:
- Honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi: Drug law is part of the wider colonial system that has harmed Māori. The Crown has obligations to reverse those harms and actively protect Māori health, wellbeing, and rangatiratanga in drug policy.
- Ecological Wisdom: Drug production, trade, use and enforcement must be constrained by the wellbeing limits of the communities and ecosystems that they operate within.
- Social Responsibility: Substance-related harm should be treated as a health issue, with a focus on root causes and equity.
- Appropriate Decision-Making: Drug policy should reflect current evidence and be tailored to those most affected by problematic drug use. It should enable informed agency where people may choose to use substances.
- Non-Violence: Drug policy should have a primary focus on improving wellbeing and reducing harm, not on punishing users.
Strategic Priorities
The Green Party’s strategic goals include:
“As a Party we strive to create a more connected, compassionate and equal Aotearoa, free from structural biases that discriminate against groups and individuals.”
Actions in this policy that will help achieve this include:
- Ensure that drug-related legislation and regulation effectively reduces harm and cost to society, individuals, and the environment from drug production and use. (1.1.1)
- Implement and sufficiently resource approaches that are found to be the best to reduce the suffering of people with a substance use disorder or other problematic drug use, including services that minimise harm during drug use, such as needle and syringe exchange schemes and safe consumption spaces. (2.2.1)
- Regulate cannabis for legal personal use (...). (3.1)
- Phase out advertising of alcoholic beverages and sponsorship by alcohol brands, and increase funding for sporting organisations to fill the resulting funding gaps. (3.7.1)
Connected Policies
Harmful drug use must be treated first as a Health issue, rather than a criminal Justice issue. Drug use does not occur in a vacuum so, for example, improving Livelihoods, Housing, and Education also help reduce drug-related harm.
