The new poll, conducted by The Navigators for the NZ Drug Foundation, shows that 68 percent of New Zealanders are in favor of replacing the 1975 Drug Abuse Act with a health-based approach.
Sixty-one percent support the abolition of penalties for drug use and increased support for education and treatment instead.
The online survey of nearly 1,500 New Zealanders over the age of 18 was conducted in early June.
Full information on the poll results and methodology can be found here†
“These numbers are really encouraging — it shows that kiwis know that incarcerating people isn’t the answer to reducing drug harm,” said Sarah Helm, executive director of the Drug Foundation.
“The public is increasingly understanding that criminal sanctions stand in the way of people seeking help, and that police time should be better spent on more serious crime.”
The Drug Foundation publishes the new poll on the Global Day of Action for #SupportDontPunish, an international campaign calling for a drug policy based on health and human rights.
“Drug policy is often highly politicized, but we know there is interest across Parliament in the kinds of health-based approaches that will really work,” Helm said.
“For example, there is cross-party support for Te Ara Oranga, the highly successful methamphetamine program, where a health-focused approach here in New Zealand has proven to work for one of our more difficult drug problems. Te Ara Oranga was started by the former national government and expanded by the current Labor government.”
The polls also showed strong support for increased funding for treatment and education (82 percent) and for harm reduction initiatives such as drug control (74 percent).
“New Zealanders know it’s not just about changing the law — it’s about shifting the money we spend on punitive action toward treatment, harm reduction initiatives and programs like Te Ara Oranga that are currently struggling for funding.”
“What New Zealand needs is a constructive approach from our political leaders to fix our broken, outdated drug laws.”