The Government's Mental Health & Addictions Inquiry is well underway, and submissions closed on 5 June.
We have a very clear idea about what we think needs to change, and our submission to the inquiry points out that New Zealand already knows the solutions. Many suggestions have been made over the years, and too much time and money has been spent on strategies which were never properly funded or implemented. We think it’s imperative that Government and agencies are held to account.
In this submission we propose urgent changes to the way New Zealand responds to addiction issues.
Two major barriers for seeking help are New Zealand’s outdated drug laws and the stigma attached to drug use. We have outlined solutions to dismantle these barriers. We also provide a detailed overview of the changes needed to address addictions from a health perspective.
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