Kanniah Guna, Kumar Shailesh
M.Clin.Pharm.,PG Cert.Psychopharmacotherapy, Senior Clinical Pharmacist, Mental Health and Addictions Services, Waikato Hospital, PO Box 3200 Hamilton, New Zealand.
FRANZCP, MRCPsych, MPhil (London), DPM, Dip CBT, MD (Auck), Consultant Psychiatrist, Midland Regional Forensic Psychiatric Service, Honorary Clinical Associate Professor, University of Auckland.
N Z Med J. 2021 Jun 25;134(1537):84-90.
A referendum on the Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill was held in New Zealand. The Bill was meant to oversee government control over the production, supply and use of cannabis and reduce cannabis-related harm. Public health control was proposed over cannabis market by imposing licenses and cultivation, the quality and strength of marketed cannabis, and sale restrictions. Under this Bill, cannabis was only meant to be available to adults aged over 20 years through licenced stores. The potency of cannabis was to be limited. Cannabis use and was going to be permitted in private homes and specifically licensed premises. The Electoral Commission announced on 6 November 2020 that 50.7% of voters opposed the Bill and 48.4% supported it. Despite the outcome of the referendum, legalisation of cannabis may remain a live issue for many people, and doctors need to have an informed view about the impact of legalisation on mental health conditions. Experience from other countries shows that access to and potency of cannabis increased with legalisation. Despite the intent to prevent harm, cannabis legislation has been associated with adverse effects on mental health, emergency hospital presentations and crime. Public health strategies, including educating public about harm associated with cannabis, surveillance of potency and labelling, increasing minimal age for legal recreational cannabis use and bolstering treatment capacity for problematic cannabis use, including those with psychiatric disorders, should be funded by revenue generated from cannabis legislation.
新西兰就《大麻合法化与管制法案》举行了全民公投。该法案旨在监督政府对大麻生产、供应和使用的管控，并减少与大麻相关的危害。提议通过发放许可证以及对种植、上市大麻的质量和效力以及销售限制来对大麻市场进行公共卫生管控。根据该法案，大麻仅应通过持牌商店向20岁以上成年人提供。大麻的效力将受到限制。大麻使用将在私人住宅和特定持牌场所被允许。选举委员会于2020年11月6日宣布，50.7%的选民反对该法案，48.4%的选民支持该法案。尽管全民公投有了结果，但大麻合法化对许多人来说可能仍是一个热门话题，医生需要对合法化对心理健康状况的影响有充分的了解。其他国家的经验表明，随着大麻合法化，大麻的可及性和效力都有所增加。尽管旨在预防危害，但大麻立法却与对心理健康、急诊就诊和犯罪的不良影响有关。公共卫生策略，包括向公众宣传与大麻相关的危害、对效力进行监测和标注、提高合法娱乐性大麻使用的最低年龄以及增强对问题大麻使用（包括患有精神疾病者）的治疗能力，应由大麻立法产生的收入提供资金支持。
