UMR poll on medicinal cannabis

Stuff reports:

Of those who responded, 76 per cent agreed New Zealand laws should be changed so patients had safe and legal access to medicinal cannabis products prescribed by licensed doctors.

Just 12 per cent answered were opposed, while another 12 per cent were undecided.

The poll showed a 4 per cent rise in support for law reform since UMR’s last poll on the issue in January.

Auckland University of Technology psychology and public health professor Max Abbott said the numbers reflected a change in national opinion.

“It’s quite remarkable that only 12 per cent were opposed – this may be the lowest level of opposition ever found in a cannabis poll in New Zealand.”

A second question about whether natural cannabis products should be treated as herbal remedies when used therapeutically was supported by 61 per cent of respondents.

A further 24 per cent opposed the idea, and 15 per cent were undecided.