Doubts raised over accuracy of drug use study
Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:44p.m.
"Cannabis is not actively policed in New Zealand, except at the high-end commercial level," says Police Association president Greg O'Connor.
click the link below to watch the video for proof that he actually said it!
http://www.3news.co.nz/Video/Nightline/tabid/368/articleID/61712/Default...
A new study looking at drug use in 17 countries places New Zealand second when it comes to cannabis and cocaine use. But the Government says it has doubts about the accuracy of the World Health Organisation's findings.
Cannabis is New Zealand's most used illegal drug.
A new survey paints a grim picture of how Kiwis stack up internationally, ranking second only to the United States when it comes to lighting up.
"We do like our cannabis, we've always had fairly high usage rates of cannabis so that doesn't surprise us," says Ross Bell of the NZ Drug Foundation.
The study questioned just over 85,000 people in 17 countries.
The United States led the way for cannabis use (42.4 percent), followed closely by New Zealand (41.9 percent).
The US had the highest proportion of people who reported trying cocaine (16.4 percent), but New Zealand (4.3 percent) had more people who had tried it than in Columbia or Mexico (both on four percent).
But Mr Bell says the cocaine figures should be treated with caution.
"When you start ranking us with the 195 countries in the world, New Zealand's cocaine use pales in comparison."
The police agree.
"Cannabis is not actively policed in New Zealand, except at the high-end commercial level," says Police Association president Greg O'Connor.
"However cocaine, when it comes to the attention of police is actively policed, and it doesn't come to our attention very often."
One drug education group, Methcon, says the study is further evidence of cannabis being normalised in society.
The Associate Health Minister, Jim Anderton, would not comment on camera but says he has doubts about the accuracy of the study, and has asked for a report from his own officials on its findings.
3 News
http://www.3news.co.nz/News/Doubtsraisedoveraccuracyofdrugusestudy/tabid...