Tell Parliament: Decriminalise cannabis now

At Rua, we believe that the personal use and cultivation of a small number of cannabis plants should not be a crime.

And we think that the only way to make that change is to tell the government.

We are helping you to contact your local Member of Parliament and let them know that this issue is important to you, and they should take notice.

The more people that tell them, the more they know that people care.

Click here and we will do it for you.

If you provide a few details, we will send an email to your local Member of Parliament on your behalf.

Email your MP

Or, do it yourself

Find your MP using this page.

Download our template letter to give you a kick start.

Download letter

Why?

Rua Bioscience was born in Ruatorea, a community in Tairāwhiti that has long carried the burden of cannabis criminalisation. We’ve seen first-hand the harm caused by drug laws - disproportionately affecting Māori and rural communities.

Decriminalising cannabis is a step toward healing, reducing harm, and creating a more equitable future. For Rua, it’s not just about business - it’s about justice, wellbeing, and empowering our community.

Decriminalise, not full legalisation…yet

Decriminalisation is an easy first step for New Zealand and it aligns the law with the reality on the ground.

Legalisation is a much bigger step. It could come in many forms, but essentially it is the ability to buy and sell cannabis legally. It is a larger step for society and comes with more risks and benefits, and questions that need to be answered: who can sell it? what standards? etc.

We believe in decriminalisation of personal cannabis consumption and cultivation. This would mean the act of possessing cannabis (probably less than an ounce or 28grams) is not a criminal offence. Lets face it, the 200,000 who consume cannabis regularly are not all “criminals” and the current law does not deter them.

Email your MP

Criminalisation costs Aotearoa

The full cost of cannabis law enforcement is $180 million a year according to a NZ Institute of Economic Research paper from 2016.

Keeping cannabis posession a crime drains about $14 million a year from the public purse according to a report commissioned by Ministry of Justice from research company, BERL.

Another study, an independent cost-benefit study for the NZ Drug Foundation suggests that justice spending could fall $6–13 million a year by decriminalising cannabis, underlining how much of today’s enforcement budget could be freed up for more pressing policing or health work.

Conclusion - many milliions

Email your MP

Cannabis is already part of our communities

Approximately 200,000 consume cannabis every week in NZ. That is about 5% of the population. Cannabis is overwhelmingly being consumed on a daily and weekly basis by numerous people from all sectors of society. Whilst this fact on its own is not a reason to de-criminalise cannabis, to ignore this and not acknowledge the reality is ignorant.

675,000

New Zealanders who have consumed cannabis in the last 12 months

200,000

New Zealanders who have consumed cannabis at least weekly in the last three months

Email your MP

The currents laws don’t stop people

A 2003 study by David Ferguson from the Christchurch School of Medicine, concluded that…

“…the law [relating to cannabis convictions] was administered in an inefficient way, the application of the law was biased, and the law was ineffective in reducing cannabis use.”

In the last month…

~200,000

New Zealanders have consumed cannabis.

~60

New Zealanders have been charged with possession of cannbis

Email your MP

Prosecutions are now increasing

Prosecutions for possession. Source: Ministry of Justice

Email your MP

Decriminalisation works elsewhere.

ACT, Australia

4 plants per household

Canada

4 plants per household

Uruguay

4 plants per household

Germany

3 plants per household

Luxembourg

4 plants per household

plus many others

Email your MP

Evidence from Australia

In 2019, the Australian Capital Territory took further steps to decriminalise the personal consumption and cultivation of cannabis. A report by the government in 2024 reviewed what had happened. The report found that…

Trafficking & large-scale grow charges did not rise, indicating no discernible shift towards commercial-scale supply.

ACT Health & Canberra Hospital data show no substantial change in ambulance call-outs or hospital admissions for cannabis-related issues between 2020–2024.

12-month prevalence of cannabis use in the ACT has remained stable (≈ 8.7 % in 2022-23)

Email your MP

All drugs cause some harm, and cannabis should be treated with caution, like any other. But many studies conclude that cannabis is not our biggest harm.

The graph below is from a recent NZ report that compares and ranks the relative harm done to individuals and others of various different drugs. Most harm (bigger), to least harm (smaller)

Cannabis is not near the top.

Cannabis: Harmful?

Alcohol
88
Methamphetamine
71
Synthetic cannabinoids
50
Tobacco products
49
Non-prescription opioids
44
Illegal fentanyls (high potency opioids)
42
Opioid substitution products
42
Prescription opioids
42
Cannabis
32
Solvents and fuels
29
Benzodiazepines
19
Amphetamine-type substances
18
Cocaine
16
GHB and GBL
12
Synthetic cathinones
10
Ketamine
8
MDMA (Ecstasy)
7
PIEDs
7
Nitrite-based inhalants
5
ENDs/vapes
4
Hallucinogens
4
Kava
4
Nitrous oxide
3
No drugs
0

Source: The New Zealand drug harms ranking study. Similar results in the UK and Australia.

Email your MP

Deaths from cannabis overdose do not occur

So says the British Medical Association report in 2013 (Pg 3).

Also, a study done in Australia in 2020 by the researchers at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre in Sydney, found that of 559 cannabis-related deaths identified between 2000 and 2018, none of them were due to cannabis toxicity alone. Other factors were always involved such as other drugs, accidents or suicide.