Tell Parliament: Decriminalise
Rua has launched a national advocacy campaign encouraging New Zealanders to contact their local Members of Parliament to support the decriminalisation of personal cannabis cultivation and use.
The campaign, titled “Tell Parliament/Tēnā Paremata: Decriminalise cannabis”, empowers everyday New Zealanders to speak directly to Parliament about why cannabis decriminalisation matters to their communities, their whānau, and the future of a more just Aotearoa New Zealand.
A call for compassionate, common-sense drug law reform
“Rua Bioscience was born out of Ruatorea, a community that has long carried the weight of cannabis criminalisation,” says Rua Bioscience CEO Paul Naske. “We've seen the disproportionate harm these laws cause, especially for Māori and rural communities. It's time to align our laws with reality on the ground.”
The campaign doesn’t advocate for full legalisation but for a pragmatic first step: decriminalising the personal use and cultivation of small amounts of cannabis.
Rua believes that people who consume and cultivate cannabis for personal use should not be criminalised and justice systems resources can be redirected toward more pressing priorities.
Why now?
· 200,000 New Zealanders consume cannabis weekly or about 5% of the population
· Enforcement of cannabis laws costs taxpayers millions annually.
· Evidence from other countries show that decriminalisation does not lead to increases in harm, trafficking, or health crises
In 2019, changes to the Misuse of Drugs Act gave police more discretion over cannabis charges. However, data shows prosecutions are now rising again, returning towards pre-2019 levels.
This October marks 50 years since the Misuse of Drugs Act was introduced in New Zealand – in a very different time, under very different social attitudes. Half a century on, our understanding of health, wellbeing, and justice has evolved significantly, yet our drug laws remain frozen in the past. This milestone anniversary reminds Parliament to review our relationship with cannabis, along with other substances, and to design laws that reflect today’s realities and scientific knowledge, reduce harm, and promote fairness for all New Zealanders.
“We are asking for clarity and courage from Parliament,” says Paul Naske. “Let’s stop criminalising people for behaviour that is already widespread and mostly harmless.”
How the campaign works
Rua is making it simple and easy for New Zealanders to act:
We’ll do it for you (Mā mātou e mahi)
Visitors to the Rua website can provide a few basic details, and Rua will send a pre-written email to their local MP on their behalf.
Or do it yourself (Māu e mahi)
Download a template letter, find your MP’s contact details, and send your own message in your own words, if you prefer.
See before you send (He aha te aha?)
Rua has made the template letter publicly available to review before sending, so everyone can feel confident in what’s being shared.
Visit www.ruabio.com/tell-parliament-decriminalise to take action or just learn more
A step toward justice
Decriminalising cannabis is a justice and fairness issue, and Rua Bioscience is committed to uplifting the community it serves and represents.
“We’re a commercial medicinal cannabis company, but we’re also from a community where criminalisation of cannabis has caused harm. We know what cannabis criminalisation looks like up close and we know the damage it does. This campaign is about fairness and justice and doing the right thing.”
