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Justice Minister Andrew Little says a referendum on legalisation of recreational cannabis is a chance to move to a health-oriented approach to managing the drug.
The referendum will be a yes or no vote on draft legislation, which will include a minimum age of 20 to use and purchase recreational cannabis, regulations and commercial supply controls, and a public education programme.
Mr Little says he wants to minimise harm and take control away from criminals.
He says it’s hard to education people on the risks of a prohibited substance.
"Legalisation allows to take it out from the shadows and under the cloak of darkness and bring it into the light and actually talk openly about what the risks are and why if you are predisposed to want to give it a go, wait a few years. You get to have those sorts of messages and that's part of what we are missing at the moment. That's part of why you might vote for legalization," the minister says.
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