If the referendum fails
If the referendum fails it means not only that legalisation of cannabis is off-the-table but probably also decriminalisation.
It would be easy to blame the misinformation campaigns and scare tactics of groups like Family First and SayNopeToDope. But to me that’s too simplistic. People voting no just because of those groups would never have made up a majority of those who voted no.
If the referendum fails then what I think the “yes” campaign would have ignored, or overestimated, was the willingness of New Zealanders to accept cannabis as being socially acceptable. What I mean by that is that as much as it was a referendum about whether cannabis should be legalised based on the evidence, it was, perhaps even more so, about our morals.
For example despite SayNopeToDope’s gross misrepresentations of cannabis outlets it’s an indisputable fact that under the proposed legislation there would be cannabis outlets. They would be discreet, sure, but they would still be there and in sight.
Were New Zealanders willing to accept this? If the referendum fails then it appears not.
For me, the cannabis referendum would have had a much better chance of succeeding if it had been strictly about social sale and use.
In other words, out of sight and out of mind.
If the referendum passes
If the referendum passes the important thing to remember, especially if you voted no, is that that the Bill is a draft.
This means that you will have a chance to make submissions and suggest changes.
One of the ironic things is that I have far more confidence in a Judith Collins National Party administering whatever the law turns out to be than a Jacinda Ardern-led Labour Party.
But anyway some more words for those who voted no, given the referendum:
The world won’t end and the sun will still rise.
Don’t expect to see many changes. Yes, you will start to see small shops with cannabis leaves pop up here and there, but that’s about it.
It is and will still be illegal to smoke weed in public. If you see someone smoking weed in public report them. You do not have to put up with it.
Yes, I understand that if you voted no you will be disappointed. But it’s not the end. Deciding whether we should legalise was the easy part. Deciding how exactly we are going to do it and the exact details: that’s going to be the challenge.