Putting health first to keep people safe.
The Green Party will take an evidenced, health-based approach to alcohol and other drugs to reduce harm in our communities.
Successive governments have tinkered around the edges of our drug laws but largely left them unchanged from the ‘war on drugs’ approach of 50 years ago. Newsflash: they’re losing the war on drugs. This approach has been punitive and has not reduced harm or demand. Instead, it fills our courts and prisons, diverts money away from public health services and leaves frontline services chronically under-resourced. It makes the problem worse.
Drugs exist and people use them. It’s a political decision to either try and reduce the harm that can arise and help make people’s lives safer, or leave people faced with stigma and fear that stops them from reaching out for help.
It’s past time to overhaul our drug laws and replace them with an evidence-based approach that prioritises the health of people. We will increase funding for mental health and addiction services and put a fence up at the top of the cliff, instead of handcuffs at the bottom.
Our plan
- Repeal and replace the Misuse of Drugs Act with an evidence-based approach that reduces harm, treats drug use as a health issue and provides for regulated access to cannabis for personal use.
- Ramp up funding of harm reduction and addiction support for people who want to reduce or stop their drug intake, including through kaupapa Māori, rainbow, youth and harm reduction programmes.
- Work with local government and service providers — focused on safe drug use, addictions and social housing — to support town centres negatively impacted by drug use.
- Enable a licensing system for psychedelic treatment and recognise taonga status of our native psylocibin (magic mushroom) species.
- Pass Good Samaritan laws that allow people to call for help without fear of punishment. Legalise and fund other overdose measures including increasing the availability of naloxone and medically supervised consumption spaces to reduce harm and save lives.
- Fund culturally responsive vaping and smoking cessation services, phase down nicotine availability, and implement stronger regulation and enforcement for nicotine retailers to protect young people and children.
- Replace the Land Transport (Drug Driving) Amendment Act 2025 with an impairment approach to reduce harm from all causes of driving impairment.
- Phase out all alcohol advertising and sponsorship, including at sporting and cultural events, and use funding from the alcohol levy to establish a well-resourced national harm-reduction campaign.