New Zealand prime minister Jacinta Ardern voted "Yes" to legalizing recreational marijuana and to euthanasia in her country, but is being assailed by weed advocates for the defeat of marijuana's legalization.
Preliminary results of both referenda held October 17 were released Friday. The cannabis referendum showed 53% (1.28 million votes) against legalizing marijuana for recreational use with 46% (1.11 million votes) in favor. The New Zealand cannabis referendum was a non-binding referendum held in conjunction with the 2020 general election last October 17.
The election saw Ardern win re-election as prime minister by a landslide against Judith Collins.
The referendum question placed before voters were whether to legalize the sale, use, possession, and production of cannabis. Voters were asked to vote for or against the proposed "Cannabis Legalization and Control Bill."
Official results will be released on November 6. A total of 2.9 million votes were cast during the referendum. This close result suggests the measure might still pass once all the 480,000 special votes are counted next week. Political pundits, however, consider a reversal of the preliminary results remote.
Proponents of legalizing weed were upset at Ardern's stubborn refusal to state how she'd vote in the referendum. They had high hopes Ardern saying she'd vote "Yes" beforehand would have turned the tide in favor of legalization.
Ardern has publicly admitted to smoking marijuana in the past. She isn't exceptional given that 80% of New Zealanders have tried marijuana in its various forms. Ardern revealed she had voted in favor of both legalizing marijuana and euthanasia after the results were released Friday.
Ardern, 40, and the leader of the Labour Party came clean about using marijuana when she debated Collins on TV last September 30.
Asked by the moderator, "Jacinda Ardern, have you ever used cannabis?"
"Yes I did," she replied, "a long time ago."
The studio audience then burst into applause, said The New York Times.
Had it won approval, the Cannabis Legalization and Control Bill would have allowed people to buy up to 14 grams (0.5 ounces) of marijuana a day and grow up to four plants. It also detailed how marijuana will be regulated. Cannabis would only have been sold by licensed retailers. It would be legal for those 20 and older.
The non-binding vote means if voters had approved legalizing recreational cannabis, the legislation would still have to be passed by Parliament to implement it.
Ardern had previously promised to respect the outcome of the cannabis referendum and bring forward the legislation.
