Lifting The Rug Lifting The Rug

Episode 2- Drugs

Drugs!

Fun!

Until they're not.

Following on from the topic of prisons we talk about the topic of drugs. Namely how to deal with them as a society and the idea to legalisation and treatment over law enforcement.

Although New Zealand is not officially waging a "drug war" like the United States, New Zealand's approach to many drugs continues to be that of prohibition and sentencing under criminal laws rather than treatment.

With the media attention surrounding New Zealand's growing "meth crisis" the public, more than ever, are asking for solutions.

The question is whether policy should follow that of Portugal, decriminalising and regulating all drugs, focusing more on treatment.

Or tougher drug laws.

We are joined by Kali Mercier of the New Zealand Drug Foundation to discuss the charities ideas for future drug policy to making minimising drug harm in society both cheaper and more effective.

Sources:

New Zealand Drug Foundation
https://www.drugfoundation.org.nz/resources/

Salvation Army- State Of The Nation
http://www.salvationarmy.org.nz/research-media/social-policy-and-parliamentary-unit/latest-report/State-of-Nation-2018

Ministry Of Justice sentencing statistics
https://www.justice.govt.nz/justice-sector-policy/research-data/justice-statistics/conviction-sentencing-statistics/

Ministry Of Health drug use statistics
https://www.health.govt.nz/nz-health-statistics/health-statistics-and-data-sets/drug-use-data-and-stats

Recent or relevant news stories:

Big read: What the proposed cannabis law change means for NZ
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12070706

Stop blaming banned drugs for the devastation caused by prohibition
https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/07-06-2018/stop-blaming-banned-drugs-for-the-devastation-caused-by-prohibition/

Synthetic drug 'horror stories' not enough to prevent first Christchurch death
https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/104333994/synthetic-drugs-horror-stories-not-enough-to-prevent-first-possible-christchurch-death

New kind of deadly synthetic drug surfaces in Auckland
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12060187

P was for panic! What next, now the 'meth house myth' has been debunked?
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12065377

New Zealand: Where alcohol is normalised - and that means more drinking
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/104684246/New-Zealand-Where-alcohol-is-normalised-and-that-means-more-drinking

Playlist:
Hits From The Bong- Cypress Hill

Music claims fair dealing for review and education purposes.

New Zealand has a dilemma to face.

Prisons.

Namely whether to build more at the cost of $302 a day per inmate of tax payer money.

Or to reform laws to cut the rising population of inmates, an idea which requires a radical change in mindset and could see politicians being "soft on crime".

New Zealand has the second highest rate of imprisonment (per capita) in the OECD, second only to the United States.

As of 2017 we have locked up almost 10,000 of our citizens, and of that 2,811 are on remand and 51% are Maori.

And that number is set to rise.

So, what to do?

Lifting The Rug talks to Tania Sawicki Mead of JustSpeak and Stephen Franks of Sensible Sentencing Trust for two very different views on how to tackle this problem.

Who is right?

You decide!

Sources and Statistics:

Bail Amendment Act of 2013- http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2013/0066/latest/whole.html

Department Of Corrections Annual Report 2016/17- http://www.corrections.govt.nz/resources/strategic_reports/annual-reports/annual_report_201617.html

Salvation Army State Of The Nation 2018- http://www.salvationarmy.org.nz/research-media/social-policy-and-parliamentary-unit/latest-report/State-of-Nation-2018

Recent and relevant news stories:

Housing NZ , police accused of 'cooperating' to refuse bail prisoners- Newshub

http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/05/housing-nz-police-accused-of-cooperating-to-refuse-to-bail-prisoners.html

Waikato mega-prison off the table, Govt- RNZ

https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/357827/waikato-mega-prison-off-the-table-govt

Govt stuck between rock and hard place on law and order- Stuff

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/103685874/govt-stuck-between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place-on-law-and-order

National calls on NZ First to join forces on hardline law and order issues- Stuff

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/104103170/national-calls-on-nz-first-to-join-forces-on-hardline-law-and-order-issues

Playlist:

Jailhouse Rock- Elvis Presley

Track claim fair dealing for the purpose of education.