Questions are being raised about an approach being used by police in Taranaki to crack down on cannabis.
Pamphlets have been released by police in the region encouraging people to dob in their neighbours if they spot any "suspicious activity" related to cannabis growers.
It warns people growers "won't hesitate" to use their property for growing and claims other crimes such as theft and burglary are often committed to fund cannabis habits.
Police have verified the pamphlets to Newshub.
Kiwis narrowly voted against cannabis legalisation in 2020, not counting medicinal cannabis that can be prescribed.
But in 2019 the Government changed the law to specify police should consider a health approach over prosecution for illegal drug use and possession.
That's got drug law reform advocates raising questions about whether police should be using limited resources to crack down on cannabis instead of more harmful drugs like meth.
Last month, police confirmed to Newshub more aerial cannabis searches will be conducted this summer and that's budgeted at $949,000, according to Police Minister Chris Hipkins - compared to $635,000 last season.
One of the biggest critics of that is Green MP Chloe Swarbrick, who said she was disappointed to learn about the pamphlets being distributed in Taranaki.
"I'm really finding it hard to reconcile the focus here when we have reporting night after night on the evening news and a huge amount of community concern out there about other forms of crime," she told Newshub.
"I don't think it adds up in most New Zealanders' view."
Victoria University of Wellington associate professor Fiona Hutton, from the Institute of Criminology, is also questioning the appropriateness of the police pamphlets.
"It's bizarre. I don't see how anybody can see that this could be a positive thing, particularly given the rhetoric from the Government and from the police themselves about how our drug laws should work and how they're going to be applying them," she said.
"This is only going to be punishing people for using a relatively harmless plant-based medicine... So, I think it's quite outrageous, really, and just before Christmas, as well?
"It's like, 'Welcome to the Christmas spirit, dob in your neighbours if you think they're growing cannabis.'"
A police spokesperson told Newshub they "engage with our communities around crime prevention and this is no different".
Police had no further comment to add.
Hipkins' office said it's an operational matter for police.
