John Key is making an absurd claim with his “fundamental” message that drugs are bad for you.

Thinking like his is outdated because it does not reflect current medical understanding.

Because of close-minded politicians like him, we are left living in a country were the use of medical marijuana cannot even be properly debated. For example, the Labour Party has shied away from the issue.

The Internet MANA Party develops its policies in a simple way, through research and evidence, as well as strong input from our membership base. This shows the medical community has reached a consensus on marijuana: it has numerous health benefits for a variety of illnesses.

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To be clear, we are not disputing the potential harm that can come from marijuana, nor that other class A, B and C drugs are dangerous.

But New Zealand lags behind many other governments around the world that have the courage to say a sensible and open debate about the benefits and dangers of drugs is essential.

One need only look to Portugal to see the phenomenal job their rehabilitative approach to drug crime has on their populace (50% reduction in drug abuse over 10 years).

The US state of Colorado, which is roughly comparable to New Zealand in population, has legalised marijuana expects to see $US70 million in tax revenue from sales over the next year.

We have to assume that Key was referring primarily to marijuana and other Class A, B and C drugs, otherwise he is saying that all drugs – including (but not limited to) caffeine, Viagra, Panadol and countless others – are bad for you. That would also include alcohol, which John Key so often likes to be pictured enjoying.

There are countless studies and mountains of evidence that plainly show marijuana is no less damaging for an adult than alcohol or tobacco, which are both legal.

I will leave you with this message: until ignorant politicians are willing to have a sensible conversation about drugs then we will not move forward. And that is not democracy.

Our nation’s progress being held hostage by closed-minded people in Wellington, and I stand against that. The Internet MANA party stands against that.

Do you?

NOTE: I am the Internet Party’s spokesperson for Health and Disabilities, which includes the party’s position on marijuana. While at the time of writing we have not officially released our draft policy, I am still compelled to respond to John Key’s ignorant misinformation.

Grant Keinzley is the Internet Party candidate for Taranaki-King Country