Over the past few months, you could not drive through any of our big cities without seeing some strange advertising messages. They were strange because, in our world of doom and gloom, they were spreading good news. Read more
It can take courage to champion what you believe in. Especially when your views are at odds with those of the crowd. Read more
One of the underappreciated joys of parenthood is lying to your children. Children are full of questions. Read more
Confirmation came this week that New Zealand’s once world-leading school system continues its steady decline. Ever since the OECD began testing the educational performance of 15-year olds in the early 2000s, New Zealand students have performed progressively worse in all three assessed areas of reading, maths and science. Read more
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand should suspend its decision to increase banks’ capital and re-open the public consultation process says public policy think tank, The New Zealand Initiative. The RBNZ’s decision to increase the capital banks are required to hold will have adverse effects for borrowers and the wider economy. Read more
Despite what Education Minister Chris Hipkins would have us believe, you cannot simply google everything. Technology has undoubtedly transformed our ability to access information, but despite what Hipkins told Newshub, memory still matters. Read more
Ever since the OECD began testing the educational performance of 15-year olds in the early 2000s, New Zealand has performed progressively worse in all three assessed areas of reading, maths and science. The troubling trajectory was confirmed again with the release of the results of the OECD's 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) testing round. Read more
Confirmation came today that New Zealand’s once world-leading school system continues its steady decline. Ever since the OECD began testing the educational performance of 15-year olds in the early 2000s, New Zealand has performed progressively worse in all three assessed areas of reading, maths and science. Read more
Moving to New Zealand in 2003 was a bit like stepping into an underpowered time machine. The new-release movies in theatre were ones that had hit the big screen in the US months earlier. Read more
The Ministry of Business’ Fair Pay Agreement discussion paper released last month took a long time coming. The ministry sat on it for 10 months following the release of the Bolger-led Fair Pay Agreement Working Group’s report last December. Read more
Status: Legal History: 1975: Decriminalisation 1990: Recriminalisation 1998: Medical legalisation 2003: Recriminalisation struck down by court 2006: Recriminalisation 2014: Recreational legalisation Policy Framework: Consumers: Only people of 21 years of age or older can possess and use marijuana legally; Consumption of marijuana in public places is prohibited except in designated consumption-licensed cannabis stores; Driving under the influence of cannabis is illegal; Anyone over the age of 21 can possess up to six cannabis plants, three of which are allowed to be mature and flowering at a time; Anyone over the age of 21 can give away up to an ounce of cannabis to another adult (21+); Employers can have anti-cannabis policies; Taxation: mature buds have a flat tax rate of $US50 per ounce. Suppliers: Suppliers must have an updated license to sell cannabis; Criminal record limitations on the obtention of license; Both retailers and cultivation facilities must be licensed; Limits on quantity sold (AAC 306.355); Limitations on packaging and labels repealed; Outcomes: The percentage of high school students using marijuana changed little between 2007 (21%) and 2017 (22%). Read more
Current Status: Medical only Policy history: 1996: Failed proposition to legalise medical cannabis 2002: Failed proposition to decriminalise recreational cannabis 2010: Legalised for medical use only Policy framework: With a practitioner’s recommendation, patients can possess up to 2.4oz (68g) of medical cannabis at a time, from dispensaries; Patients who live far away from dispensaries can cultivate their own medical cannabis; Dispensary system; 6.6% excise tax; Possession of any amount of cannabis is a felony punishable by up to 3.75 years and fines of up to $US150,000; Sale or distribution of cannabis is a felony punishable by up to 12.5 years in prison and fines of up to $US150,000; Cultivation of cannabis is a felony punishable by up to 12.5 years in prison and fines of up to $US150,000. Outcomes: $US705 million of cannabis profit in 2019 according to a report by Arcview Market Research and BDS analytics; In 2018, sales of medical marijuana reached $US406.7 million; Past-year cannabis use disorder in people in Arizona aged 12 or above decreased between 2005 and 2017 (from 2.0% to 1.5%). Read more
Current Status: Medical only History: 2012: Failed medical cannabis initiative 2016: Medical cannabis legalised May 2019: Medical cannabis sales begin Policy Framework: Patients must have one of 12 qualifying conditions and a doctor’s recommendation to legally obtain medical cannabis; State-licensed cannabis dispensary system for medical cannabis; 32 dispensaries and five cultivators; No allowance has been made for rural patients to cultivate medical cannabis in their own home; Possession of fewer than 4oz (113g) of cannabis for the first offence is a misdemeanour punishable by up to one year in prison and fines of up to $US2500; Possession of less than 4oz of cannabis for a subsequent offence is a felony punishable by up to six years in prison and fines of up to $US10,000; Possession of more than 4oz is a felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison and fines of up to $US15,000. Outcomes: Past-year cannabis use disorder in Arkansas aged 12 years and above decreased between 2005 and 2017 (from 1.6% to 1.4%). Read more
Status: Legal History: 1907: Cannabis criminalised 1996: Medical use legalised 2009: Full legalisation 2010: Decriminalisation Policy Framework: Must be 21-years-of-age or older to purchase, possess or consume cannabis; Driving under the influence of cannabis is prohibited; It is prohibited to consume cannabis in any form in public spaces; Illegal to consume cannabis in areas where smoking tobacco is prohibited; 15% excise tax on all cannabis purchasers; Possession of over an ounce of cannabis is a misdemeanour punishable by up to six months in prison and fines of up to $US500; Distribution or sale of cannabis without a license is a misdemeanour punishable by six months and a fine of $US500; Cultivation of more than six plants is a misdemeanour punishable by up to six months in prison and fines of up to $US500; From January 1, 2019, cannabis possession charges were expunged from criminal records; Cannabis suppliers must obtain a license before they are permitted to engage in cannabis-related commercial activity; Employees of any commercial cannabis business must be 21-years-of-age or older to handle cannabis goods; Cultivation tax of up to $US10 per ounce. Sources: Norml, California Cannabis Portal Outcomes: Legal market underperforms and does not meet estimates; The black market continues to flourish; The state of California raised $US317 million in tax revenue from marijuana products for the 2018/19 year; In 2018, the total market value of marijuana sales in California was worth $US2.5 billion; Regulatory compliance costs and taxes make legal cannabis too expensive to be competitive with the black market price; From 2005 to 2011, the percent of adults who reported using marijuana in the past year remained relatively unchanged (8.2% and 8.5%, respectively). Read more
Status: Legal History: 1917: cannabis prohibited in Colorado 2000: Medical cannabis legalised (approval by a doctor, with a qualifying condition. Dispensary system with allowance for home cultivation) 2012: Recreational use legalised 2013: Sales began in September Policy Framework: Only people 21-years-of-age or older can possess, purchase or consume cannabis; Possession is limited to 1oz (28g) at a time per adult; Public use is illegal; Driving under the influence is illegal; Excise tax of 15% applies to all cannabis-containing products; Adults over 21 can give up to an ounce of cannabis to another adult but cannot sell it; Minor packaging requirements - resealable and not transparent, must have required symbol on the package; 10% sales tax applies to all cannabis-containing products on top of Colorado’s standard 2.9% sales tax; Only licensed retailers can sell cannabis; Possession of more than 1oz of cannabis is a petty offense (like a speeding ticket) punishable by a fine of up to $US100; Possession of more than 2oz (56g) of cannabis is a misdemeanour punishable by up to 18 months in prison and fines of up to $US5000; Possession of more than 12oz (340g) of cannabis is a felony punishable by up to two years in prison and fines of up to $US100,000; Unlicensed distribution with remuneration or more than 1oz is a misdemeanour punishable by up to 18 months in prison and fines of up to $US5000; Unlicensed distribution of more than 6oz (170g) is a felony punishable by up to 32 years in prison and fines of up to $US1,000,000; Cultivation of more than six plants is a felony punishable by up to six years in prison and fines of up to $US500,000; Sources: Norml, Colorado Department of Health and the Environment Outcomes: Youth marijuana use increased by 20% between 2013 and 2014, while usage among adults increased by 17% during the same period; According to the Department of Revenue, the Colorado marijuana tax brought in about $US302 million in 2019; Total cannabis sales across the state rose from $US699.2 million in 2014 to $US1.51 billion in 2017; Data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis shows Colorado's GDP increased by roughly $US41 billion since legalisation; Visits to emergency room related to cannabis increase; Car crash rate increase, but no increase in fatalities; $US1.55 billion in sales, 98% of which were purchased for recreational use; Rate of 12-17-year-olds using cannabis is the lowest it has been since 2008; The number of drivers involved in fatal crashes who were tested above the level of impairment limit decreased from 52 to 35; Organised crime rates have tripled in five years; Between 2005 and 2017, cannabis use disorder in people over the age of 12 increased from 1.7% to 2.3%. Read more