Dear Editor, if we were to legalise it (cannabis use), will this affect our charter position and partnerships with the likes of W.H.O (World Health Organization) or United Nations and Pacific nations?

Will we be able to apply for aid and fundings as we have to fund its operations? How would the Cook Islands reputation and credibility be viewed by our international laws with regards to legal consumption of this item? How would our ambulance recourses look like and funded by the tax payers if a percentage of people were to be hospitalised? Will our Aronga Mana and R.A.C (Religious Advisory Council) lobby for or go against this in Parliament? Will the majority of our future leaders be consumers of this product? Will it be banned on government property, Marae’s and churches?

Will it affect the performance of staff (workers) on duty? Would there be a need for license for purchase of cannabis and its consumption on a particular property? Will people be permitted to grow their own and not be prosecuted? Otherwise how will it be regulated?

Kendale Takai

(Facebook)

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Yes, legalise hemp for medicinal use. Many have found relief from pain, anxiety, shaking and many other debilitating conditions that affect the quality of life. Like most treatment, they have to take it for the rest of their life to maintain that quality of life. So the government would need to subsidise it to make it 1) affordable 2) readily available to whoever needs it.

For many it’s a life changing treatment, that only those going through the condition truly understand. And it doesn’t have the negative side effects that pharmaceutical drugs have. Make it a priority, Prime Minister!

Auora Yauola

(Facebook)

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Enforcing helmet law

I can’t believe we are still dealing with draconian helmet laws when the problem is alcohol and speeding. This government made us wear helmets. Now we can’t choose what helmet to wear? What a pot of crock. The newspaper keeps telling us the courts are backlogged with important cases like abuse and fraud so now they want to add more clogging to the works. This is a waste of police and justice time and money. They have a helmet its approved elsewhere that should be good enough. Now get on and do some important work like catching drunks before they drive on the road.

Rangi Ero