Uneasy alliance

We legalised homosexuality, prostitution and now abortion, all without a referendum. So why not marijuana?

Compared with deadly synthetic cannabis (so-called) and alcohol, marijuana is harmless. Legalisation would provide taxable income, take it away from criminal gangs and free up police time. The Netherlands, Canada, California, Colorado, etc have all done it. Furthermore, it is – or was – Green Party policy.

So why does the ‘‘Let’s (Not) Do This’’ Government want a referendum? Perhaps it wants to be seen as liberal, progressive, inclusive, etc, while avoiding a ‘‘yes’’ result – but it’s a tightrope and it might fall off. The Government released a report showing fewer people are being prosecuted, perhaps to imply there’s no need for legalisation.

But police are still prosecuting and want to continue – easy work, compared with busting violent, hyped-up P users. Breweries see marijuana as competition: a mistake, as they could benefit from legal pot – see the ‘‘coffee shops’’ in Amsterdam. This is a strange, uneasy, sleazy alliance: government, gangs, police and breweries all wanting to keep marijuana illegal.

Why have the Greens got cold feet? Is the Green Party going a bit yellow? G Stainer, Wainuiomata