I live in a small rural community on the East Coast, I have grown up around all kinds of drug abuse and I can strongly say that I have watched to many whānau members and members of the public be charged with convictions relating to the growth and sale of marijuana. In some towns this can often be the only form of income and the only way people can make their money due to small numbers of jobs and high numbers of people.
In my 21 years of life I have not once seen marijuana have a negative effect on society. It creates income and revenue for people that do not fit into the shape that the government creates for all people. We are all different and we are all good at different things, I don't understand why something that is natural and not made in a lab that also has major health benefits can be deemed illegal.
I think from a professional point of view this is a chance to re-regulate not only the cannabis laws but to also re visit our alcohol and tobacco laws and both can be scientifically seen to be more harmful than marijuana when abused, which is often the case.