From Zero - Why Is Weed So Popular In New Zealand?

Marijuana is easily the most popular illicit drug in New Zealand. Nearly half of all adults say they’ve tried it and a recent poll found that nearly two thirds of us favour decriminalisation or legalisation. And yet our laws remain harsher than many other Western countries. Why is weed so popular here, what are the impacts and can we ever agree on a way forward?

Photo: 123RF

The law around cannabis hasn't changed since the Misuse of Drugs Act was passed in 1974. But something has changed recently: attitudes towards the law. In two polls this year, two thirds of respondents expressed support for some sort of law reform. And support for change on medical cannabis was over 80 per cent.

There can be no doubt that a key influence on the way the conversation has changed is the decision by the late Helen Kelly to go public with her own medical cannabis use – and to campaign for legal access for medical users. This episode of From Zero includes the final interview with Helen Kelly, conducted only a week before her death.

But if we're to consider law reform, it might make sense to look at the way our legal choices have shaped the way cannabis is now. We might have romantic ideas about dope being grown by kindly folk in the open air – but the reality is that the weed most people smoke is grown in faceless buildings on industrial estates. It's an industrial product – one driven indoors by police pursuit of outdoor growers. Is there a better way to regulate it?

This episode also features interviews with Gerard Hindmarsh, one of the hippie idealists who came to Golden Bay and planted pot in the 1970s, Norml NZ president and Hemp Store owner Chris Fowlie, doctors in Wellington and Nelson and a retail dealer and home grower in Auckland. It tells a striking story. And there is a surprise ending for host Russell Brown …

The late Helen Kelly, former CTU head and medical marijuana campaigner.

A water pipe and a Focus vaporiser. Neither of these things is a vase.

Hemp Store owner and NORML NZ President Chris Fowlie.

A water pipe with a showerhead percolator, an eight-arm percolator, an iceholder, an ash collector and another percolator and a separate chamber. It aims to clean the smoke from your herb five times. Because there's no such thing as too-clean herb smoke.

Helen Kelly at home in Wellington with her supply of medical marijuana.

Cannabis tea.

A selection of pipes at the Hemp Store.

Original Golden Bay hippie Gerard Hindmarsh with part of his exotic number plate collection.

This story was produced by Russell Brown. The Executive Producers were Justin Gregory and Tim Watkin.

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If you have feedback on this series or stories you want to share, you can email us at justin.gregory@radionz.co.nz.