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NORML New Zealand is a cannabis law reform organisation in New Zealand. It is a National Chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). [1]
NORML New Zealand publish the print and electronic quarterly magazine NORML News. Copies of the magazine were submitted to the Chief Censor in May 2010 by the Department of Internal Affairs for guidance on whether it should be censored. [2]
"Mary Jane the Cannabus" is a Bedford bus belonging to NORML New Zealand that serves as a mobile cannabis law reform activism centre. [3] Mary Jane is driven by Dakta Green and resides at The Daktory when not on the road. Mary Jane participated in a nationwide tour of New Zealand promoting cannabis law reform from March to May 2008. [4]
In 2018, NORML New Zealand issued a submission supporting the Labour-led coalition government's Misuse of Drugs (Medicinal Cannabis) Amendment Act. They also advocated allowing a higher 5% tolerance for other cannaboids to improve production and affordability; making medical cannabis more accessible to patients with chronic or debilitating conditions where the doctor has prescribed the use of cannabis; legalizing the cultivation of cannabis; and adopting a herbal remedy approach towards non-pharmaceutical cannabis products. While supportive of the Government's proposed Medicinal Cannabis Access Scheme, it advocated a "patient-focused regime" as opposed to what it termed a "corporate pharmaceutical-style scheme." [5] [ third-party source needed ] In response to the Government's upcoming cannabis referendum, NORML is one of the founding members of the Cannabis Referendum Coalition. [6] [ third-party source needed ]
Otago NORML is the group's local branch at the University of Otago in Dunedin. [7] [8]
The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws is a social welfare organization based in Washington, D.C., that advocates for the reform of marijuana laws in the United States regarding both medical and non-medical use. According to their website, NORML supports "the removal of all penalties for the private possession and responsible use of marijuana by adults, including cultivation for personal use, and casual nonprofit transfers of small amounts" and advocates for "the creation of a legal and regulatory framework for marijuana's production and retail sale to adults". NORML also has a sister organization, NORML Foundation, that focuses on educational efforts and providing legal assistance and support to people affected negatively by current marijuana laws. NORML operates in a number of other countries.
Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party (ALCP), also known as the Cannabis Party, is a political party in New Zealand. It is dedicated to removing or reducing restrictions on the use of cannabis and similar substances.
In the United States, the removal of cannabis from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, has been proposed repeatedly since 1972. The category is the most tightly restricted category reserved for drugs that have "no currently accepted medical use.”
The Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 is a New Zealand drug control law that classifies drugs into three classes, or schedules, purportedly based on their projected risk of serious harm. However, in reality, classification of drugs outside of passing laws, where the restriction has no legal power, is performed by the governor-general in conjunction with the Minister of Health, neither of whom is actually bound by law to obey this restriction.
The Global Marijuana March (GMM), also referred to as the Million Marijuana March (MMM), is an annual rally held at different locations around the world on the first Saturday in May. A notable event in cannabis culture, it is associated with cannabis-themed events, which may include marches, meetings, rallies, raves, concerts, festivals, and attempts at educational outreach.
Otago University NORML is a pro cannabis law reform student club at the University of Otago, affiliated to the Otago University Students Association. It is a local chapter of the national New Zealand cannabis law reform organisation NORML New Zealand, an affiliate of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).
The use of cannabis in New Zealand is regulated by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975, which makes unauthorised possession of any amount of cannabis a crime. Cannabis is the fourth-most widely used recreational drug in New Zealand, after caffeine, alcohol and tobacco, and the most widely used illicit drug. In 2001 a household survey revealed that 13.4% of New Zealanders aged 15–64 used cannabis. This ranked as the ninth-highest cannabis consumption level in the world.
In the United States, the use of cannabis for medical purposes is legal in 37 states, four out of five permanently inhabited U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia, as of February 2022. Eleven other states have more restrictive laws limiting THC content, for the purpose of allowing access to products that are rich in cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive component of cannabis. There is significant variation in medical cannabis laws from state to state, including how it is produced and distributed, how it can be consumed, and what medical conditions it can be used for.
The Daktory was a warehouse catering for the sale and consumption of cannabis in New Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand. The Daktory operated in open defiance of New Zealand drug legislation prohibiting the cultivation, possession, sale and consumption of cannabis; its founder Dakta Green was jailed for 23 months for the operation of the warehouse. Members were called 'Daktas' and are registered under a pseudonym of their choice. They paid a monthly fee to join which allowed them access to The Daktory or they paid a $5 general entry charge. Patrons had to be 18 years of age or older. Once inside, members would openly smoke cannabis using any of the many paraphernalia provided. At various times cannabis was also openly grown in and sold from the Daktory. Nationwide branches of the Daktory were planned for all major New Zealand cities and other areas of strong demand for cannabis.
Dakta Green, formerly Kenneth Morgan is a former New Zealand cannabis law reform activist and political candidate. He changed his name by public poll in 2008. He is the Activism co-ordinator for NORML New Zealand, the driver of Mary Jane the Cannabus, and founder of The Daktory. He was a candidate for the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party in the 2009 Mount Albert by-election.
In the United States, the use and possession of cannabis is illegal under federal law for any purpose by way of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 (CSA). Under the CSA, cannabis is classified as a Schedule I substance, determined to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use – thereby prohibiting even medical use of the drug. Despite this, most states have legalized either or both the medical and recreational use of cannabis.
Whakamana, or The New Zealand Institute for Cannabis Education, Research and Development is New Zealand's first museum dedicated to the history of cannabis use and culture. It was first opened in October 2013 in Dunedin as part of a project spearheaded by Abe Gray, former deputy leader of the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party (ALCP), and Julian Crawford, former ALCP regional spokesperson.
Cannabis in Arizona is legal for recreational use. A 2020 initiative to legalize recreational use passed with 60% of the vote. Possession and cultivation of recreational cannabis became legal on November 30, 2020, with the first state-licensed sales occurring on January 22, 2021.
Cannabis in Michigan is legal for recreational use. A 2018 initiative to legalize recreational use passed with 56% of the vote. State-licensed sales of recreational cannabis began in December 2019.
NORML France, previously known as Chanvre & Libertés - NORML France is a French non-profit organization based in Toulouse but active in all territories of France, whose aim is to move public opinion sufficiently to achieve the depenalization of illicit drugs consumption, the legalization of non-medical marijuana and the increased access to medical cannabis in France, so that the responsible use of cannabis by adults is no longer subject to penalty.
Cannabis rights or marijuana rights are individual civil and human rights that vary by jurisdiction. The rights of people who consume cannabis include the right to be free from employment discrimination and housing discrimination.
The 2020 New Zealand cannabis referendum was a non-binding referendum held on 17 October 2020 in conjunction with the 2020 general election and a euthanasia referendum, on the question of whether to legalise the sale, use, possession and production of recreational cannabis. It was rejected by New Zealand voters. The form of the referendum was a vote for or against the proposed "Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill". Official results were released by the Electoral Commission on 6 November 2020 with 50.7% of voters opposing the legalisation and 48.4% in support.
The Misuse of Drugs Amendment Act 2018 is an Act of Parliament in New Zealand which amends the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 to allow terminally-ill people to consume cannabis and to possess a cannabis utensil. The bill passed its third reading on 11 December 2018. It was supported by the centre-left Labour Party and its coalition partners New Zealand First and the Green parties but was opposed by the opposition centre-right National Party. The Act received royal assent on 17 December and came into force on 18 December 2018.
Abraham Gabriel Gray is an American-born New Zealand cannabis activist, politician and founder of the Whakamana Cannabis Museum, New Zealand's first and only cannabis museum. Gray was a University of Otago lecturer and tutor for over a decade before founding the museum.