Pubdate: Sat, 05 Oct 2002
Source: Dominion Post, The (NZ)
Copyright: 2002 The Dominion Post
Contact:  http://www.dompost.co.nz
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2550
Author: Fran Tyler and Tracy Watkins
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)

TOP COP TO SNIFF OUT MP'S POT

One of Wellington police's top guns has been called in to investigate a 
complaint that Green MP Nandor Tanczos uses cannabis.

Wellington district commander Superintendent John Kelly announced yesterday 
that newly-appointed district crime boss Detective Inspector Harry Quinn 
would "evaluate the police response to the allegations".

Mr Quinn had interviewed the Rastafarian MP at Parliament on Thursday, Mr 
Kelly said. He would not disclose what had been discussed during the 
hour-long interview.

Mr Tanczos was also unwilling to divulge what was discussed at the 
interview, which was held without his lawyer present, but with fellow Green 
MP Metiria Turei.

Police had been unable to tell him how long the inquiry would take, Mr 
Tanczos said.

"But it highlights how ludicrous it is for the police to be investigating 
adults for minor cannabis offences when they are woefully under-resourced 
to do their job."

A written complaint was lodged with Mr Kelly on Thursday by NZ First MP 
Craig McNair.

The complaint said Mr Tanczos had admitted in newspaper interviews in April 
and June 2000 and last month that he used the drug as part of his 
Rastafarian religion.

According to Mr McNair that indicated that Mr Tanzcos had broken the law on 
more than 20 occasions and appeared to do so "with impunity".

"To the best of my knowledge, there has been no investigation of his 
claimed drug use. Claiming that cannabis use is part of a religion surely 
does not exempt him from prosecution."

Mr Tanczos had publicly admitted smoking cannabis in 1996, when he was 
quoted in a newspaper while on the election trail campaigning for the 
Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party.

He said: "As a Rastafarian, I am exercising my God-given right to worship 
my creator.

"When I smoke cannabis I'm worshipping my creator."

Mr Kelly would not say why police had not launched an investigation into Mr 
Tanczos' self-proclaimed drug use earlier.

Neither Mr Kelly nor Mr Quinn could be contacted for further comment yesterday.

Mr Tanczos said he had made it clear from the beginning he was happy to 
talk to police about the complaint.

But the incident showed how the cannabis debate was being stifled by fear 
of the law, he said.

"People in public life, people who have a media profile, people in 
positions of authority, generally can't talk openly about the fact they use 
cannabis.

"I'm unusual in that I've come out and said openly I use cannabis."

National Organisation for the Reform of Marijuana Laws national coordinator 
Chris Fowlie, speaking from Thailand yesterday, said he believed Mr McNair 
was wasting police and taxpayer resources trying to prosecute "a valued 
member of society, duly elected by the people, who uses cannabis 
responsibly and moderately for sacramental purposes".
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager