New Zealand - $5.9m in budget to tackle drugs (NZ)

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$5.9m in budget to tackle drugs

Stuff.co.nz
11 May 2007

The Government is tagging $5.9 million over the next four years in the budget to raise awareness about the risks of taking drugs.

Jim Anderton, Progressive Party leader and Associate Minister of Health, said the marketing campaign would be backed up by an online drug evidence database.

"Today's announcement focuses on reducing the demand for drugs, and not just for the newer drugs but also for well-established drugs such as cannabis," Mr Anderton said. "Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in this country and there appears to be a very troubling and overriding perception that it is harmless, when there is much research both here and abroad to the contrary."

Mr Anderton said the campaign would be based on evidence.
Funding for the first $2 million is in next week's budget and Cabinet has agreed $3.9 million across three years will be confirmed in budget 2008 for funding from July 2008.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4054964a11.html