Perspectives on Marijuana Policy in New Zealand: 1990 and 1998

Adrian Field and Sally Casswell

This paper provides a brief overview of the history of marijuana use in New Zealand and examines the changing patterns of public attitudes to its use. It draws on the 1990 and 1998 regional surveys conducted in a metropolitan area (greater Auckland) and a provincial/rural area (Bay of Plenty) in 1990 and 1998. The main findings covered respondents':

• use of marijuana;
• perceptions of risk of harm from marijuana use;
• perceptions of the seriousness of the use of marijuana and other drugs as a community problem;
•  perceptions of the acceptability of marijuana use under various circumstances; and
• opinions on current levels of enforcement of laws against using and selling marijuana.

The survey results suggests that while more people are willing for policy makers to lift some restrictions on marijuana use, social norms still prevail against marijuana use in many situations. The paper concludes by looking at attitudes to marijuana use in these New Zealand surveys, in comparison with those from other countries with different cannabis policies.