A man briefly lit up a cannabis joint in Parliament before being nabbed by security yesterday.

The man lit the joint in the public gallery about 5.30pm during the second reading of the Resource Management (Climate Protection) Amendment Bill.

He was quickly grabbed by security and removed. There was no indication it was any sort of protest, said Parliamentary Services spokesman Warren Inkster.

Apart from breaking drug laws, the man would have broken Parliamentary codes of conduct surrounding behaviour in the chamber, Mr Inkster said.

Parliament's premises were also non-smoking.

The matter had been handed over to police, he said.

Parliamentary police were unavailable for comment and Wellington police were unable to provide any further details.

- NZPA