scholarly journals Control of Recreational Cannabis in a New Zealand University Sample: Perceptions of Informal and Formal Controls

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 117822182095339
Author(s):  
Kirsten J Robertson ◽  
Karen Tustin
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cannabis Use ◽  
Cannabis User ◽  
Informal Controls ◽  
Heavy Users ◽  
Negative Perceptions ◽  
The Law ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
The Government

An increasing number of countries have, or are moving towards, reforming cannabis policies. New Zealand is also moving in this direction and the government will hold a referendum on the legalization of recreational cannabis in September 2020. To inform imminent public and political discussions it is important to understand how current cannabis use is controlled. Research suggests that cannabis law has been ineffective in NZ. Internationally, informal controls, rather than the law, have been found to shape cannabis use by creating a threshold for normalization, but the attitudes shaping this threshold are unknown. This study aimed to examine drug acceptability attitudes, specifically students’ attitudes towards the illegal use of cannabis and their attitudes towards peers who abstain, sometimes use, or are heavy users of cannabis, to identify the factors that control cannabis use. Using a mixed methods approach, university students recruited their peers (N = 535) to complete a pen and paper survey investigating perceptions towards 3 cannabis user prototypes (abstainers, moderate users, heavy users), concern for legality of cannabis use, and the integration of cannabis into the student culture (perceptions of peers’ use, ease of acquisition, and availability). Perceptions of peers’ lifetime and regular use were 82% and 38.5%, respectively. Participants rated cannabis as easy to acquire and likely to be available at a typical student social occasion. The majority stated that the law does not deter use (92.7%); participants perceived the law to be soft and that they are unlikely to get caught. Participants’ descriptions of the 3 cannabis user prototypes revealed a threshold for normalization. For instance, abstaining was perceived to be associated with positive attributes (such as being studious), linked to being less sociable, and linked to being less likely to be judged. Moderate use of cannabis was perceived to be normal and sociable. Heavy use was perceived to be associated with having negative attributes, such as being addicted, unhealthy, and an underachiever, and negative drug labels. Our findings revealed that cannabis use is not controlled by the law, but by informal thresholds of control. Moderate cannabis use is accepted whereas heavy cannabis use is not. We extended research by identifying the attitudes shaping these thresholds, in particular that negative outcomes associated with heavy use deters the normalization of this behavior. We argue that policy must be informed by, and build on, these informal controls. The negative perceptions associated with heavy use also raise concerns regarding the well-being of heavy users, and coupled with the ineffectiveness of cannabis law, lend support towards a health model for regulating cannabis. Furthermore, insights into the negative perceptions associated with heavy use could inform health interventions on the types of concerns that will resonate with users.

scholarly journals An Integrated Approach to Redistribution: Issues of Policy, Economics and Information

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Mark Prebble
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The State ◽  
Philosophical Foundations ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Right

<p>This thesis considers how best to administer redistribution policies. It focuses particularly on the information needed to assess relative circumstances, the implications of the government collecting such information, and processes by which the appropriate information may be assembled and assessed. In New Zealand, as with many other OECD nations, the Government's redistribution policies are administered through a range of different agencies, with duplication in some areas and gaps in others. An integrated approach to redistribution systems may offer a means to improve equity and efficiency. Part One discusses the assessment of relative well-being, and adopts the choice set as the intellectual device for this purpose. The time period for the assessment of income is examined in detail, with the conclusion that a long period should be used except where the individual is constrained to operate under a short time horizon. A new concept of "bankability" is developed as a means of identifying those operating under such constraints. Part Two uses the philosophical foundations of the value of privacy to develop a new statement of the right to privacy, such that everyone should be protected against the requirement to divulge information, unless that information is the "business" of another party. A view on the business of the state depends on one's ideology of the state. Since it is generally accepted in New Zealand in the late twentieth century that the state has a role in redistribution, the state has some right to collect information for that purpose. However, the rights of the state are moderated by the existence of a common law tradition of respect for individuals. A set of criteria for evaluating redistribution systems is devised in Part Three. These criteria, which include consideration of the information to be collected, individual control over personal information, and administrative simplicity, are then used to identify significant weaknesses in the systems currently used in New Zealand. The main problems identified are the collection of inadequate information, duplication, and complex institutional structures; the main virtue of the current systems is that information provided is only used for the purpose for which it was provided. An alternative approach is outlined which would address the problems while retaining the current protection of privacy interests. This thesis is a mix of inter-disciplinary academic enquiry and policy development. Part One is an amalgam of economic and philosophical approaches, Part Two involves philosophy and politics, and Part Three applies the theoretical considerations to issues of public administration.</p>

scholarly journals Judicial Specialisation in a Generalist Jurisdiction: Is Commercial Specialisation Within the High Court Justified?

2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 307
Author(s):  
William Steel
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Dispute Resolution ◽  
Alternative Dispute Resolution ◽  
Common Law ◽  
Future Research ◽  
High Court ◽  
The Law ◽  
The Government ◽  
Law Commission ◽  
The Way

In November 2013, after a series of Law Commission reports and years of academic, professional and judicial discussion, the Government introduced legislation to Parliament to replace the existing High Court commercial list with a specialist commercial panel. Whilst this panel would bring New Zealand into line with many comparable common law jurisdictions, this article argues that the case for specialisation has not been established. In particular, it notes that there is no publically available evidence to support the claim that the High Court is losing its commercial jurisdiction, or that commercial parties are choosing to resolve their disputes offshore or through alternative dispute resolution. Accordingly, this article argues that future research by the Law Commission, or other research agency, is required before specialisation can be justified. In reaching this conclusion, it also examines the issues that may arise if the Government decides to continue with its proposed reform under cl 18 of the Judicature Modernisation Bill 2013, suggesting changes along the way.

scholarly journals Law, Economics and the Draft Takeovers Code

1996 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 39
Author(s):  
Robert Dugan
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Law And Economics ◽  
Total Effect ◽  
Draft Code ◽  
The Law ◽  
The Government ◽  
Run Up ◽  
The Cost

In August 1995, the Government announced that it would defer a decision whether to adopt the draft Takeovers Code that had been formulated and recommended by the Takeovers Panel pursuant to s 19 of the Takeovers Act 1993. This announcement culminates, at least for the time being, almost a decade of intense and sometimes acrimonious controversy over the regulation of takeovers in New Zealand. Economics-based arguments figured in the run up to the legislation, within the legislation itself, in the formulation of the Code and in the debate about its merits. After a review of the background and the principal features of the draft Code, this article considers the main issues in the law and economics debate that preceded the Government's decision. The author argues that the Government's decision to defer action on the Draft Code can likely be attributed to the "law and economics" opposition to takeovers regulation and the Code itself. The article concludes that both law and economic components were flawed: the legal component (i.e. that there are already existing companies legislation and listing requirements) ignores the fact that takeover regimes fill a regulatory gap, and the economic component (i.e. that the cost of takeovers will increase) fail to consider the total effect of an arrangement. 

scholarly journals Cannabis Use and Emotional Intelligence in Adolescents during COVID-19 Confinement: A Social Network Analysis Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 12954
Author(s):  
María Cristina Martínez-Fernández ◽  
Isaías García-Rodríguez ◽  
Natalia Arias-Ramos ◽  
Rubén García-Fernández ◽  
Bibiana Trevissón-Redondo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Intelligence ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Social Network Analysis ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cannabis Use ◽  
Cannabis User ◽  
Significant Variable ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Friendship Network

Confinement by COVID-19 had negative consequences on adolescent mental health, including increased cannabis use. Cannabis is related to variables that influence health and well-being. Emotional Intelligence is associated with adaptive coping styles, peer relationships, and social–emotional competencies. In adolescence, peer selection plays a unique role in the initiation of substance use. However, there are no studies during a confinement stage that analyse the relationships between networks, Emotional Intelligence, and cannabis use. The aim of this paper is to describe and analyse the consumption and friendship networks of an adolescent classroom and their relationship with Emotional Intelligence, cannabis use, and gender during COVID-19 confinement. Participants completed different questionnaires for Emotional Intelligence, cannabis use, and the consumption and friendship network. The sample consisted of 21 students from 10th grade, of which 47.6% were consumers. The friendship network correlates with the consumption network, and significant associations between emotional repair and being a cannabis user. The regression model points to the friendship network as a significant variable in predicting the classroom use network. This study highlights the role of the Social Network Analysis in predicting consumption networks during a COVID-19 confinement stage and serves as a tool for cannabis use prevention interventions in a specific population.

scholarly journals Meeting the Challenge of a Low-Emissions Economy

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Bailey ◽  
Geoff Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Market Failure ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Draft Report ◽  
The World ◽  
Productivity Commission ◽  
The Government ◽  
Institutional Architecture ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

The impacts of climate change threaten the productivity, incomes and well-being of all humanity. Climate change has been described as the ‘greatest market failure the world has ever seen’. In 2017 the government asked the Productivity Commission to ‘identify options for how New Zealand could reduce its domestic greenhouse gas emissions through a transition to a lower emissions future, while at the same time continuing to grow incomes and wellbeing’. New Zealand can achieve a successful low-emissions economy, but there will be challenges. The commission’s recently released draft report provides insights into how and where the country can best achieve emission reductions and the types of policies and institutional architecture required to drive the transition.

scholarly journals Judicial specialisation in a generalist jurisdiction: Is commercial specialisation within the High Court justified?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
William Steel
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Dispute Resolution ◽  
Alternative Dispute Resolution ◽  
Common Law ◽  
Future Research ◽  
High Court ◽  
The Law ◽  
The Government ◽  
Law Commission ◽  
The Way

<p>In November 2013, after a series of Law Commission reports and years of academic, professional and judicial discussion, the government introduced legislation to Parliament to replace the existing High Court commercial list with a specialist commercial panel. Whilst this panel would bring New Zealand into line with many comparable common law jurisdictions, this paper argues that the case for specialisation has not been established. In particular, it notes that there is no publically available evidence to support the claim that the High Court is losing its commercial jurisdiction, or that commercial parties are choosing to resolve their disputes offshore or through alternative dispute resolution. Accordingly, this paper argues that future research by the Law Commission, or other research agency, is required before specialisation can be justified. In reaching this conclusion it also examines the issues that may arise if the government decides to continue with its proposed reform under clause 18 of the Judicature Modernisation Bill 2013, suggesting changes along the way.</p>

scholarly journals Judicial specialisation in a generalist jurisdiction: Is commercial specialisation within the High Court justified?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
William Steel
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Dispute Resolution ◽  
Alternative Dispute Resolution ◽  
Common Law ◽  
Future Research ◽  
High Court ◽  
The Law ◽  
The Government ◽  
Law Commission ◽  
The Way

<p>In November 2013, after a series of Law Commission reports and years of academic, professional and judicial discussion, the government introduced legislation to Parliament to replace the existing High Court commercial list with a specialist commercial panel. Whilst this panel would bring New Zealand into line with many comparable common law jurisdictions, this paper argues that the case for specialisation has not been established. In particular, it notes that there is no publically available evidence to support the claim that the High Court is losing its commercial jurisdiction, or that commercial parties are choosing to resolve their disputes offshore or through alternative dispute resolution. Accordingly, this paper argues that future research by the Law Commission, or other research agency, is required before specialisation can be justified. In reaching this conclusion it also examines the issues that may arise if the government decides to continue with its proposed reform under clause 18 of the Judicature Modernisation Bill 2013, suggesting changes along the way.</p>

scholarly journals Associations between Cannabis Use Characteristics, Impulsivity, and Mindfulness

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sam Feck ◽  
Rebecca Houston
Keyword(s):  
Sensation Seeking ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Subjective Experience ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cannabis Use ◽  
Cannabis User ◽  
Present Moment ◽  
Negative Urgency ◽  
The Past

Impulsivity has been implicated as a factor in cannabis use and cannabis-related problems. However, impulsivity is a multi-faceted construct. Recent work in substance use has used the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Questionnaire (UPPS-P), which is designed to assess five facets of impulsivity. Research examining these facets of impulsivity and cannabis use characteristics is somewhat inconsistent, but generally has suggested that Sensation Seeking and Lack of Premeditation may be related to cannabis use and Negative Urgency may be associated with cannabis-related problems. In addition, a substantial literature exists suggesting that mindfulness, the ability to focus one’s attention on the present moment in a non-judgmental, non-reactive, and tolerant manner, is decreased in substance users. However, the literature specific to mindfulness and cannabis use characteristics is relatively inconsistent. Thus, the aim of the current study was to replicate and extend prior research on the associations between impulsivity, mindfulness, and cannabis use. A community sample of adults (N = 289, 137 female) completed an online survey that included the Short UPPS-P (SUPPS-P) impulsiveness questionnaire, Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), and questions about cannabis use and cannabis-related problems. A logistic regression in the full sample revealed that SUPPS-P Lack of Premeditation and MAAS total scores, as well as alcohol consumption, were significant positive predictors of cannabis user status (i.e., use in the past 30 days). The Lack of Premeditation finding is consistent with prior studies, but the association between increased mindfulness and cannabis user status was unexpected. It’s possible that the mind set and physical setting in which cannabis is used has influence on the subjective experience, and thus, users may be seeking effects relevant for an overall sense of well-being similar to that seen in research on psychedelic drug use. In the subsample of cannabis users that reported use in the past 30 days (n = 87), no significant associations were revealed between impulsivity facets or mindfulness and cannabis use frequency. No impulsivity or mindfulness variables emerged as significant predictors of cannabis-related problems in users; although, consistent with prior studies, the association with SUPPS-P Negative Urgency approached significance. Alcohol-related problems were associated with cannabis-related problems as well. These findings extend the previous literature and have implications in identifying risk for problematic/disordered use as well as improving upon interventions and treatment approaches for problematic cannabis use.

Creating a Government Commitment to Well-Being

2020 ◽  
pp. 133-154
Author(s):  
Tim Ng
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sustainable Land Use ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Policy Action ◽  
Economic Framework ◽  
Measurement Analysis ◽  
The Government

This chapter describes how the New Zealand Government in 2019 demonstrated its commitment to well-being as a public policy with the release of its Wellbeing Budget. It details how the New Zealand Treasury’s Living Standards Framework (LSF) has guided the Treasury’s policy advice to governments in New Zealand, using the Wellbeing Budget as a key example of the application of the LSF in practice. The LSF is a population-level economic framework with a multidimensional well-being outcomes focus and associated measurement, analysis, and assessment tools. It helps the government to express, analyze, and implement its well-being objectives in the form of concrete policy action. As well as government budget management, the LSF has been applied to strategic fiscal and economic policy development. Priority policy areas for funding and other interventions addressed in the Wellbeing Budget included mental health, family and sexual violence, and sustainable land use. The chapter then looks at the experience of applying LSF tools to various stages of the policy process, including examples of cross-agency collaboration and the resulting policy packages informed by the LSF.

scholarly journals An Integrated Approach to Redistribution: Issues of Policy, Economics and Information

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Mark Prebble
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The State ◽  
Philosophical Foundations ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Right

<p>This thesis considers how best to administer redistribution policies. It focuses particularly on the information needed to assess relative circumstances, the implications of the government collecting such information, and processes by which the appropriate information may be assembled and assessed. In New Zealand, as with many other OECD nations, the Government's redistribution policies are administered through a range of different agencies, with duplication in some areas and gaps in others. An integrated approach to redistribution systems may offer a means to improve equity and efficiency. Part One discusses the assessment of relative well-being, and adopts the choice set as the intellectual device for this purpose. The time period for the assessment of income is examined in detail, with the conclusion that a long period should be used except where the individual is constrained to operate under a short time horizon. A new concept of "bankability" is developed as a means of identifying those operating under such constraints. Part Two uses the philosophical foundations of the value of privacy to develop a new statement of the right to privacy, such that everyone should be protected against the requirement to divulge information, unless that information is the "business" of another party. A view on the business of the state depends on one's ideology of the state. Since it is generally accepted in New Zealand in the late twentieth century that the state has a role in redistribution, the state has some right to collect information for that purpose. However, the rights of the state are moderated by the existence of a common law tradition of respect for individuals. A set of criteria for evaluating redistribution systems is devised in Part Three. These criteria, which include consideration of the information to be collected, individual control over personal information, and administrative simplicity, are then used to identify significant weaknesses in the systems currently used in New Zealand. The main problems identified are the collection of inadequate information, duplication, and complex institutional structures; the main virtue of the current systems is that information provided is only used for the purpose for which it was provided. An alternative approach is outlined which would address the problems while retaining the current protection of privacy interests. This thesis is a mix of inter-disciplinary academic enquiry and policy development. Part One is an amalgam of economic and philosophical approaches, Part Two involves philosophy and politics, and Part Three applies the theoretical considerations to issues of public administration.</p>

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