A new poll suggests more than 60 percent of New Zealanders want a cannabis law change.
The New Zealand Drug Foundation, which commissioned the survey, said it was the first such poll to show a majority backing the loosening of rules on the personal use of marijuana.
Cannabis plants growing in OregonA majority surveyed backed cannabis law change. Photo: Creative Commons
Of 1029 participants, 64 percent thought possessing a small amount of cannabis for personal use should be either legal (33 percent) or decriminalised (31 percent). A minority of 34 percent supported maintaining prohibition of personal use and possession of cannabis.
A Drug Foundation spokesperson said previous similar polls had shown the opposite or a 50/50 split.
Executive director Ross Bell said the support for change was much higher than he anticipated and showed the public wanted change even if lawmakers did not.
"The voters have better understood this issue, that there are alternatives, that the current approach - the 40 year approach - that we've taken hasn't done anything to arrest New Zealand's cannabis use and maybe it's time to try something new," Mr Bell told Morning Report.
