The Green Party today released its updated drug law reform policy, which would regulate access to cannabis and allow for medicinal cannabis. “The Green Party’s cannabis policy is evidence-based, and is focussed on ensuring New Zealanders’ health and wellbeing,” Green Party health spokesperson Julie Anne Genter said today. “Current cannabis laws are out of date and causing harm, including the criminalisation of individuals and families.  “A harm-minimisation approach means that people’s mental and physical wellbeing is prioritised ahead of criminalising...

Children drinking a cup of fizzy or other sweetened drink a day shows ingrained habits undermine public health and that the National Government needs to tax sugar-sweetened drinks, the Green Party said today. Whanau Pakari, a study from Taranaki about overweight children, showed the median intake of sweet drinks is 250mls a day, while some children are drinking two litres daily of sugary drinks. “The Minister of Health needs to stand up for the health of all Kiwi kids, bring...

Record numbers of New Zealanders reaching out for help   Record numbers of New Zealanders are reaching out for mental health help and the Government needs to ensure that services are properly prepared and resourced to assist people, the Green Party said today.   The annual report of the Office of the Director of Mental Health shows an increase from 143,060 people seeking help in 2011 to 162,222 people in 2015.   “More New Zealanders than ever are reaching out...

Results from the New Zealand Health Survey (NZHS) show that many young Kiwis are not getting the primary healthcare that they need, the Green Party said today. There has been an increase in the number of 15-24-year-olds who can’t afford to see their GP, from 12.3 percent to 16.2 percent. This represents 108,000 young New Zealanders who are not able to access the healthcare that they need. “Our young people need to be able to go to their GP when...

The eye health of 44 New Zealanders’ has been compromised, and some have suffered partial sight loss, because of an overwhelmed health system that is not able to treat patients quickly enough, the Green Party said today. The latest annual report from the Health Quality & Safety Commission into “adverse events” in our hospitals also shows a large increase in clinical management issues across the country in a range of departments, up from 205 in 2014-15 to 245 in 2015-16. Clinical...

Children in Auckland are falling ill with rheumatic fever as a direct result of the Government’s failure to address the housing crisis and child poverty, the Green Party said today. Figures released today show the number of children with rheumatic fever in the Auckland and Waitemata district health board areas has stayed at the same level, despite a Rheumatic Fever Prevention Programme running for five years now. “This is a stark reminder that the housing crisis isn’t going away, and...

A petition from Life Matters Suicide Prevention Trust presented at Parliament today shows that more people are joining the call for a mental health inquiry, the Green Party said. “Who else does the Minister of Health need to hear from to convince him that a nationwide mental health inquiry is desperately needed?” Green Party health spokesperson Julie Anne Genter said today. “Time and time again, we have heard about the failings in our mental health system and why an inquiry...

The Health Minister needs to urgently undertake a nationwide inquiry into mental health services, after new figures have revealed that young people are facing unreasonably long waiting times to receive follow-up appointments after seeking help, the Green Party said today. Up to 3297 young people around New Zealand had to wait longer than eight weeks to have a second face-to-face appointment with a medical professional in the last year after seeking help. The figures show wide variation between different District...

The record-high provisional annual suicide statistics released today by the Chief Coroner shows why the Government should urgently initiate a nationwide mental health inquiry, the Green Party said today. 579 people died by suicide in the 2015/16 year, which is the highest number of suicide deaths since provisional statistics were first recorded by the Coroner’s Office in 2007/08. “The number of Kiwis who are tragically taking their own lives reflects the failings in our mental health system,” Green Party health...

More and more New Zealand children are being hospitalised for tooth decay issues, and the Government needs to implement a sugary drinks tax to help turn this around, the Green Party said today. Ministry of Health figures show the rate of hospitalisation for dental caries (or basic tooth decay) for young people has increased 13 per cent from 2008-09 to 2013-14. 6471 young people were hospitalised for tooth decay in 2012-14. “It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out...