Grey Power distances itself from marijuana legalisation petition

(Newshub.)
(Newshub.)

Grey Power is distancing itself from its Otamatea branch's campaign to legalise marijuana, and says it is unlikely to lobby for marijuana legalisation any time soon.

The Otamatea branch launched a petition for marijuana legalisation earlier this week, but it could be up in smoke after a warning from National President Tom O'Connor.

He says he's not telling the Oramatea branch to stop its petition, but to be aware of the implications.

"Very clever single-issue groups can capture associations from time to time and misuse them to promote their own campaigns," he says.

"I've issued a warning this morning to associations to be careful of that."

"We get all sorts of weird and wonderful ideas popping up from time to time but we are very careful about who and what we support nationally."

Mr O'Connor doesn't believe it's up to Grey Power to lobby for marijuana legalisation.

"That's a matter for the medical profession and the Government to sort out."

He adds that matters of national policy are carefully considered before being adopted and marijuana legalisation is not on the drawing board.

"Knowing the federation membership as I do, if a remit did come before the annual general meeting it's not likely it would succeed."

Newshub.